This article examines the impact of digital technologies on cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) performance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Italy. The study focuses on three main areas of digital technologies: e-business, e-marketing, and e-commerce. Using regression analysis, the study finds that e-business tools have an unclear impact on CBEC, while e-marketing tools such as data tracking for medium-sized enterprises and social media for all SMEs have a positive and significant impact on online export performance. Additionally, the study finds that having a presence on marketplaces such as Amazon or Alibaba is more effective than having a proprietary e-commerce website in terms of cross-border online sales. These results are useful for both policymakers and managers, as making informed decisions to develop SMEs is crucial for industrial strategy effectiveness. The study also considers firm size as a control variable and as a moderator of the effect of e-business, e-marketing, and e-commerce predictors. The research contributes to the literature by investigating the relationship between various technology adoption factors and the presence of cross-border e-commerce. The study finds that e-marketing capabilities have a positive relationship with cross-border e-commerce, as determined by a value for the marginal effect higher than zero for all the significant categories. Additionally, the study finds that having a presence on third-party marketplaces is more effective than having a proprietary e-commerce website in terms of cross-border online sales. The study also finds that the presence of third-party e-commerce has a more relevant positive association with cross-border e-commerce than having standalone proprietary e-commerce. The results suggest that digitalization is an important trend for SMEs to retain leadership and that the adoption of digital technologies can help SMEs improve their efficiency, reach new customers, and increase their competitiveness. The study also highlights the importance of firm size in the relationship between e-commerce and firm performance. The findings indicate that digitalization is a key factor in the success of SMEs in international markets and that the adoption of digital technologies can significantly impact the performance of SMEs in cross-border e-commerce.This article examines the impact of digital technologies on cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) performance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Italy. The study focuses on three main areas of digital technologies: e-business, e-marketing, and e-commerce. Using regression analysis, the study finds that e-business tools have an unclear impact on CBEC, while e-marketing tools such as data tracking for medium-sized enterprises and social media for all SMEs have a positive and significant impact on online export performance. Additionally, the study finds that having a presence on marketplaces such as Amazon or Alibaba is more effective than having a proprietary e-commerce website in terms of cross-border online sales. These results are useful for both policymakers and managers, as making informed decisions to develop SMEs is crucial for industrial strategy effectiveness. The study also considers firm size as a control variable and as a moderator of the effect of e-business, e-marketing, and e-commerce predictors. The research contributes to the literature by investigating the relationship between various technology adoption factors and the presence of cross-border e-commerce. The study finds that e-marketing capabilities have a positive relationship with cross-border e-commerce, as determined by a value for the marginal effect higher than zero for all the significant categories. Additionally, the study finds that having a presence on third-party marketplaces is more effective than having a proprietary e-commerce website in terms of cross-border online sales. The study also finds that the presence of third-party e-commerce has a more relevant positive association with cross-border e-commerce than having standalone proprietary e-commerce. The results suggest that digitalization is an important trend for SMEs to retain leadership and that the adoption of digital technologies can help SMEs improve their efficiency, reach new customers, and increase their competitiveness. The study also highlights the importance of firm size in the relationship between e-commerce and firm performance. The findings indicate that digitalization is a key factor in the success of SMEs in international markets and that the adoption of digital technologies can significantly impact the performance of SMEs in cross-border e-commerce.