The widening of the gender income gap seriously hinders the realization of common wealth, while the development of the digital economy brings new solutions to effectively alleviate the gender income gap, realize common wealth and the high-quality development of China’s economy. The impact of digital economy development on the gender income gap was investigated by constructing an indicator system for measuring the digital economy in each province and combining the data from 2015 to 2021 China General Social Survey (CGSS). It is found that digital economic development can alleviate the gender income gap. The digital economy can significantly increase individual incomes in terms of different time years, age groups and skill differences, as well as mitigate gender income gaps. The quantile regression results show that the development of the digital economy raises the income of middle- and high-income women significantly more than that of men. Discrimination is still the main reason for the gender income gap. Expanding flexible employment channels for women, strengthening the protection of women’s rights and interests, utilizing the advantages of the Internet platform, and strengthening the training of women’s digital resources can increase women’s income and narrow the gender income gap.