Digital economy and urban entrepreneurial activity.

• The development of digital economy contributes to the promotion of entrepreneurial activity. • The digital economy can promote urban entrepreneurial activity by alleviating financing constraints. • Digital economic development can enhance entrepreneurial activity by promoting innovation and increasing entrepreneurial opportunities. This paper selects data from 285 cities in China from 2018 to 2022 to explore the impact of the digital economy on urban entrepreneurial activity. It is found that there is a significant positive impact of the digital economy on entrepreneurial activity; the development of the digital economy in eastern cities has a more prominent impact on entrepreneurial activity than that in central and western cities; the digital economy can effectively reduce the cost of enterprise financing, stimulate innovation vitality, and provide more opportunities for entrepreneurs to develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]