An electroplating bath, a system, a process for, and the article obtained from, depositing a zinc-nickel ternary or higher alloy, a) zinc ions; b) nickel ions; and c) one or more ionic species selected from ions of Te.sup.+4, Bi.sup.+3 and Sb.sup.+3, and in some embodiments, further including one or more additional ionic species selected from ions of Bi.sup.+3, Sb.sup.+3, Ag.sup.+1, Cd.sup.+2, Co.sup.+2, Cr.sup.+3, Cu.sup.+2, Fe.sup.+2, In.sup.+3, Mn.sup.+2, Mo.sup.+6, P.sup.+3, Sn.sup.+2 and W.sup.+6. In some embodiments, the system includes a divider forming a cathodic chamber and an anodic chamber, with the electroplating bath in the cathodic chamber only. In various embodiments, the zinc-nickel ternary and higher alloys may provide improved properties to the conductive substrates upon which the alloys are deposited.