Improving women's economic empowerment and promoting gender equity are essential for achieving high-quality socio-economic development and inclusive growth. Using the CHFS data, this study introduces a novel measure of economic empowerment to explore the impact of digital inclusive finance development on economic empowerment, with a focus on gender-specific effects. Our results show that digital inclusive finance development enhances economic empowerment, exerting a particularly stronger influence on women who face substantial barriers in traditional financial markets. Regarding its mechanisms, digital inclusive finance enhances women's economic empowerment by alleviating gender discrimination, strengthening capacity for information search and financial resource utilization, as well as facilitating participation in financial investments. Heterogeneity analysis further reveals that this effect is most significant among women with more unstable employment, or heavier parenting burden. Our findings offer valuable insights into how inclusive finance can improve women's economic status and promote gender equity, providing practical implications for policymakers dedicated to advancing women's economic rights and fostering comprehensive socio-economic progress.