Abstract:Drawing on the uncertainty management theory, this study explores whether the business environment influences entrepreneurs’subjective wellbeing and how this relationship varies by entrepreneurial type. Specifically, this study examines the effect of business environment on the subjective wellbeing of opportunity entrepreneurs and necessity entrepreneurs. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, the World Bank’s Doing Business Report, and the World Development Index, a multilevel database is constructed, covering 69 countries and 19 577 individuals. The model is tested using multilevel linear regression. The results show that the business environment has a positive effect on entrepreneurs’subjective wellbeing, and the subjective wellbeing of opportunity entrepreneurs is higher than that of the necessity entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the positive effect of the business environment on subjective wellbeing is stronger for opportunity entrepreneurs than for necessity entrepreneurs. This study extends the significance of optimizing the business environment from encouraging entrepreneurial entry to enhancing entrepreneurs’subjective wellbeing. However, it also highlights that such optimization may widen the wellbeing gap between opportunity and necessity entrepreneurs. These findings contribute to the literature on the antecedents of entrepreneurs’wellbeing by integrating macro and microlevel perspectives. This study provides valuable insights for improving the business environment in China to enhance the wellbeing of both opportunity and necessity entrepreneurs.