Against the backdrop of rapid population aging and the diminishing demographic dividend, investigating how platform economy development can unlock the gender dividend holds signifi cant practical importance. Utilizing micro-level household tracking survey data from 2014 to 2020, this study examines the impact effects and underlying mechanisms of platform economy development on the gender wage gap. The fi ndings reveal that platform economy development generates a signifi cant gender dividend, promoting convergence in the gender wage gap. This effect primarily operates through fully leveraging women's comparative advantage in non-cognitive skills and the skill-biased technological progress effect, thereby narrowing the gender wage disparity. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the promoting effect of platform economy development is more pronounced for labor groups with agricultural household registration status, medium-to-low skills, outdoor workers, and those in highly marketized regions. Furthermore, the platform economy also exerts positive infl uences on both employment quality and quantity, contributing to a reduction in gender disparities. The study proposes to formulate gender equality policies targeting the platform economy, to strengthen training programs enhancing women's non-cognitive skills, and to improve social security mechanisms for fl exible workers, thereby boosting women's occupational security.