Abstract The convergence of technology and education has enabled the creation of instructional programs utilizing digital resources, garnering significant interest from educators in developing mathematical culture curricula. This study investigates these factors by incorporating the perceived importance of policy (PIP) variables into the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. Quantitative analysis was employed to collect online questionnaire data from 873 teachers in Henan Province, which was subsequently analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that (1) performance expectation did not significantly impact teachers’ intentions and behaviors regarding the use of digital resources for developing mathematics culture lessons; (2) effort expectations negatively influenced such use; and (3) social influence, facilitating conditions, and perceived policy importance emerged as key drivers, with social influence exerting the most substantial impact. These insights enhance our understanding of the factors influencing teachers’ integration of digital resources in mathematics culture curriculum development. They can inform strategies to improve teachers’ knowledge of teaching with mathematics technology (KTMT) and to promote technology-enhanced mathematics teaching and learning.