Digital new infrastructure (DNI) has emerged as a pivotal force in reshaping regional economic geography. However, the existing literature primarily focuses on its macro-growth effects, leaving a significant gap regarding whether it effectively bridges the divide in Digital–Real Economy Integration (DRI) and promotes sustainable regional development. Based on panel data from 31 provinces in China (2013–2023), this study employs a two-way fixed-effects model to empirically investigate the impact of DNI on the balanced development of DRI and its underlying mechanisms. The research findings are threefold: First, DNI acts as a critical driver of regional convergence in DRI by accelerating digital technology diffusion and facilitating digital talent mobility, thereby significantly mitigating inter-provincial disparities. Second, heterogeneity analysis reveals that the convergence effect of DNI is contingent upon regional environments: the “picking the winners” bias in fiscal expenditure inadvertently weakens the inclusive nature of DNI; conversely, a robust high-tech industrial base, financial deepening, and the “East Data, West Computing” strategy significantly enhance the convergence effect by strengthening technology absorption capacity and alleviating financing constraints. Third, threshold effect analysis confirms the catalytic role of marketization, demonstrating that a mature market environment effectively breaks the geographical stickiness of factor flows, thus amplifying the balanced growth dividends of DNI. This study not only extends the theory of regional convergence into the digital era but also provides critical policy insights for achieving sustainable and inclusive digital transformation.

Cultivating new quality productive forces is pivotal for the high-quality development of China’s ethnic minority regions. This study investigates how digital finance, by leveraging its capacity to overcome geographical constraints, can drive this process. Utilizing panel data from 45 ethnic minority cities from 2013 to 2023, we employ two-way fixed-effects, spatial econometric, mediation, and moderation models to examine the impact and underlying mechanisms of digital finance. The findings indicate that digital finance significantly enhances new quality productive forces in border ethnic minority regions and generates positive spatial spillover effects on neighboring areas. This impact is mediated by two pathways: technological innovation and the green, low-carbon transformation. Conversely, digital divides related to access, usage, and skills exert a significant negative moderating effect on this positive impact. Furthermore, a regional heterogeneity analysis reveals that the driving effect of digital finance is more pronounced in the Northwest region compared to the Southwest. Accordingly, we propose targeted policy recommendations centered on optimizing adaptive digital infrastructure, strengthening digital literacy, promoting green finance, and establishing collaborative regional mechanisms. The objective is to amplify the positive impacts while mitigating the existing digital divides.