Subject and purpose of work: Globalization and digitalization have a multifaceted influence on the welfare state. This study empirically investigates the impact of globalization and digitalization on social protection expenditures in CEECs. Materials and methods: This study performs feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) and panel corrected standard errors (PCSE) methods that account for cross-sectional dependence (CSD), heteroscedasticity, and autocorrelation in the CEECs by using annual data over 2000-2023. Results: The estimation results show that although globalization decreases SPE, digitalization increases it. In addition, economic growth, tax revenue, age dependency, and unemployment cause a rise in SPE. Conclusions: Our empirical findings suggest that as globalization increases, SPE tend to fall in CEECs. The negative impact of globalization on SPE implies that greater openness may forces government to narrow public expenditures. However, nowadays, in the 21st century, government policy performs a key role in tackling external risks. Moreover, policymakers should improve coordination capacity in the digital economy across people, cities, and regions.