diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 286c835516..b51f78307d 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ checksum = "cc6dde6e4ed435a4c1ee4e73592f5ba9da2151af10076cc04858746af9352d09"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ checksum = "487585f4d0c6655fe74905e2504d8ad6908e4db67f744eb140876906c2f3175d"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ checksum = "89ca545a94061b6365f2c7355b4b32bd20df3ff95f02da9329b34ccc3bd6ee72"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2062,7 +2062,7 @@ checksum = "a948666b637a0f465e8564c73e89d4dde00d72d4d473cc972f390fc3dcee7d9c"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2217,6 +2217,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "opentelemetry",
  "opentelemetry-datadog",
  "ord-bitcoincore-rpc",
+ "ord-kafka-macros",
  "pretty_assertions",
  "pulldown-cmark",
  "rdkafka",
@@ -2266,6 +2267,14 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_json",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ord-kafka-macros"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "quote",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ordered-float"
 version = "3.9.2"
@@ -2350,7 +2359,7 @@ checksum = "ec2e072ecce94ec471b13398d5402c188e76ac03cf74dd1a975161b23a3f6d9c"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2454,9 +2463,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "proc-macro2"
-version = "1.0.66"
+version = "1.0.69"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "18fb31db3f9bddb2ea821cde30a9f70117e3f119938b5ee630b7403aa6e2ead9"
+checksum = "134c189feb4956b20f6f547d2cf727d4c0fe06722b20a0eec87ed445a97f92da"
 dependencies = [
  "unicode-ident",
 ]
@@ -2495,9 +2504,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "quote"
-version = "1.0.32"
+version = "1.0.33"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "50f3b39ccfb720540debaa0164757101c08ecb8d326b15358ce76a62c7e85965"
+checksum = "5267fca4496028628a95160fc423a33e8b2e6af8a5302579e322e4b520293cae"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
 ]
@@ -2800,7 +2809,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "rust-embed-utils",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
  "walkdir",
 ]
 
@@ -3050,7 +3059,7 @@ checksum = "a4e7b8c5dc823e3b90651ff1d3808419cd14e5ad76de04feaf37da114e7a306f"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3242,9 +3251,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "syn"
-version = "2.0.27"
+version = "2.0.38"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "b60f673f44a8255b9c8c657daf66a596d435f2da81a555b06dc644d080ba45e0"
+checksum = "e96b79aaa137db8f61e26363a0c9b47d8b4ec75da28b7d1d614c2303e232408b"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -3350,7 +3359,7 @@ checksum = "090198534930841fab3a5d1bb637cde49e339654e606195f8d9c76eeb081dc96"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3442,7 +3451,7 @@ checksum = "630bdcf245f78637c13ec01ffae6187cca34625e8c63150d424b59e55af2675e"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3601,7 +3610,7 @@ checksum = "34704c8d6ebcbc939824180af020566b01a7c01f80641264eba0999f6c2b6be7"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3843,7 +3852,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "once_cell",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
  "wasm-bindgen-shared",
 ]
 
@@ -3877,7 +3886,7 @@ checksum = "54681b18a46765f095758388f2d0cf16eb8d4169b639ab575a8f5693af210c7b"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.27",
+ "syn 2.0.38",
  "wasm-bindgen-backend",
  "wasm-bindgen-shared",
 ]
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 2f9676c781..b5ba94e40d 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ autobins = false
 rust-version = "1.67"
 
 [workspace]
-members = [".", "test-bitcoincore-rpc"]
+members = [".", "test-bitcoincore-rpc", "ord-kafka-macros"]
 
 [dependencies]
 anyhow = { version = "1.0.56", features = ["backtrace"] }
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ tower-http = { version = "0.4.0", features = ["compression-br", "compression-gzi
 
 rdkafka = { version = "0.33.2" }
 axum-jrpc = { version = "0.5.1", features = ["serde_json", "anyhow_error"] }
+ord-kafka-macros = { path = "ord-kafka-macros" }
 
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/ord-kafka-macros/Cargo.toml b/ord-kafka-macros/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6dd3af6fe1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ord-kafka-macros/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[package]
+name = "ord-kafka-macros"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2021"
+
+[lib]
+proc-macro = true
+
+# See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
+
+[dependencies]
+quote = "1.0.33"
+syn = { version = "2.0.38", features=[ "full" ] }
diff --git a/ord-kafka-macros/src/lib.rs b/ord-kafka-macros/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..10fb83dcf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ord-kafka-macros/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+use proc_macro::TokenStream;
+use quote::quote;
+use syn::{parse_macro_input, ItemFn};
+
+/// Trace a function with a given operation name. Example usage:
+/// `#[trace]`, the span name will be the function's name.
+/// Alternatively, `#[trace("my_span_name")]` will use the given span name
+#[proc_macro_attribute]
+pub fn trace(args: TokenStream, input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+  let func = parse_macro_input!(input as ItemFn);
+  let func_name = &func.sig.ident;
+  let inputs = &func.sig.inputs;
+  let output = &func.sig.output;
+  let block = &func.block;
+
+  let name = if args.is_empty() {
+    func_name.to_string()
+  } else {
+    parse_macro_input!(args as syn::LitStr).value()
+  };
+
+  let expanded = quote! {
+      fn #func_name(#inputs) #output {
+          let tracer = opentelemetry::global::tracer("ord-kafka");
+          tracer.in_span(#name, |_| {
+              #block
+          })
+      }
+  };
+
+  TokenStream::from(expanded)
+}
diff --git a/src/index/updater.rs b/src/index/updater.rs
index fa8690d856..f8d8980c1f 100644
--- a/src/index/updater.rs
+++ b/src/index/updater.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-use opentelemetry::{global, trace::Tracer};
+use opentelemetry::{
+  trace::{Span, Tracer},
+  Context,
+};
+use ord_kafka_macros::trace;
 use {
   self::inscription_updater::InscriptionUpdater,
   super::{fetcher::Fetcher, *},
@@ -91,18 +95,15 @@ impl<'index> Updater<'_> {
     let mut uncommitted = 0;
     let mut value_cache = HashMap::new();
 
-    let tracer = global::tracer("updater");
     while let Ok(block) = rx.recv() {
-      tracer.in_span("index_block", |_| {
-        self.index_block(
-          self.index,
-          &mut outpoint_sender,
-          &mut value_receiver,
-          &mut wtx,
-          block,
-          &mut value_cache,
-        )
-      })?;
+      self.index_block(
+        self.index,
+        &mut outpoint_sender,
+        &mut value_receiver,
+        &mut wtx,
+        block,
+        &mut value_cache,
+      )?;
 
       if let Some(progress_bar) = &mut progress_bar {
         progress_bar.inc(1);
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ impl<'index> Updater<'_> {
     Ok(())
   }
 
+  #[trace]
   fn fetch_blocks_from(
     index: &Index,
     mut height: u64,
@@ -175,6 +177,7 @@ impl<'index> Updater<'_> {
 
     let first_inscription_height = index.first_inscription_height;
 
+    let active_span = Context::current();
     let target_height_limit = client.get_block_count()?
       - env::var("BLOCKS_BEHIND")
         .ok()
@@ -182,6 +185,8 @@ impl<'index> Updater<'_> {
         .unwrap_or(0);
 
     thread::spawn(move || loop {
+      let mut span =
+        global::tracer("ord-kafka").start_with_context("get_block_with_retries", &active_span);
       if let Some(height_limit) = height_limit {
         if height >= height_limit {
           break;
@@ -205,6 +210,8 @@ impl<'index> Updater<'_> {
           break;
         }
       }
+
+      span.end();
     });
 
     Ok(rx)
@@ -325,6 +332,7 @@ impl<'index> Updater<'_> {
     Ok((outpoint_sender, value_receiver))
   }
 
+  #[trace]
   fn index_block(
     &mut self,
     index: &Index,
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index a9a74ac290..f96e14508b 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   clippy::cast_sign_loss
 )]
 
+use opentelemetry::global;
 use {
   self::{
     arguments::Arguments,
@@ -74,8 +75,6 @@ use {
   tokio::{runtime::Runtime, task},
 };
 
-use opentelemetry::{global, sdk::propagation::TraceContextPropagator};
-
 pub use crate::{
   block_rarity::BlockRarity, fee_rate::FeeRate, object::Object, rarity::Rarity, sat::Sat,
   sat_point::SatPoint, subcommand::wallet::transaction_builder::TransactionBuilder,
@@ -171,12 +170,10 @@ pub fn main() {
 
   // Tracer setup
   if env::var("DD_SERVICE").is_ok() {
-    let tracer = tracer::init().unwrap_or_else(|err| {
+    tracer::init().unwrap_or_else(|err| {
       log::error!("Fatal - failed to initialize tracer: {:?}", err);
       process::exit(1);
     });
-    global::set_text_map_propagator(TraceContextPropagator::new());
-    global::set_tracer_provider(tracer.provider().unwrap());
   }
 
   ctrlc::set_handler(move || {
diff --git a/src/options.rs b/src/options.rs
index 7d2e5ef8a2..e118f67c89 100644
--- a/src/options.rs
+++ b/src/options.rs
@@ -203,10 +203,10 @@ impl Options {
 
     let auth = self.auth()?;
 
-    log::info!("Connecting to Bitcoin Core at {}", self.rpc_url());
+    log::debug!("Connecting to Bitcoin Core at {}", self.rpc_url());
 
     if let Auth::CookieFile(cookie_file) = &auth {
-      log::info!(
+      log::debug!(
         "Using credentials from cookie file at `{}`",
         cookie_file.display()
       );
diff --git a/src/subcommand/server.rs b/src/subcommand/server.rs
index a60cd814b1..d3e7901bd0 100644
--- a/src/subcommand/server.rs
+++ b/src/subcommand/server.rs
@@ -144,17 +144,17 @@ pub(crate) struct Server {
 impl Server {
   pub(crate) fn run(self, options: Options, index: Arc<Index>, handle: Handle) -> Result {
     Runtime::new()?.block_on(async {
-      let index_clone = index.clone();
-      let index_thread = thread::spawn(move || loop {
-        if SHUTTING_DOWN.load(atomic::Ordering::Relaxed) {
-          break;
-        }
-        if let Err(error) = index_clone.update() {
-          log::warn!("{error}");
-        }
-        thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(5000));
-      });
-      INDEXER.lock().unwrap().replace(index_thread);
+      // let index_clone = index.clone();
+      // let index_thread = thread::spawn(move || loop {
+      //   if SHUTTING_DOWN.load(atomic::Ordering::Relaxed) {
+      //     break;
+      //   }
+      //   if let Err(error) = index_clone.update() {
+      //     log::warn!("{error}");
+      //   }
+      //   thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(5000));
+      // });
+      // INDEXER.lock().unwrap().replace(index_thread);
 
       let config = options.load_config()?;
       let acme_domains = self.acme_domains()?;
@@ -169,9 +169,6 @@ impl Server {
       });
 
       let router = Router::new()
-        .layer(OtelInResponseLayer)
-        //start OpenTelemetry trace on incoming request
-        .layer(OtelAxumLayer::default())
         .route("/", get(Self::home))
         .route("/block/:query", get(Self::block))
         .route("/blockcount", get(Self::block_count))
@@ -206,6 +203,9 @@ impl Server {
 
         // API routes
         .route("/rpc/v1", post(rpc::handler))
+        .layer(OtelInResponseLayer)
+        //start OpenTelemetry trace on incoming request
+        .layer(OtelAxumLayer::default())
         .layer(Extension(index))
         .layer(Extension(page_config))
         .layer(Extension(Arc::new(config)))
diff --git a/src/tracer.rs b/src/tracer.rs
index 878fb412b8..1d5977a204 100644
--- a/src/tracer.rs
+++ b/src/tracer.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 use log::{info, warn};
 use opentelemetry::{
+  global,
   sdk::trace::{RandomIdGenerator, Sampler},
   trace::TraceError,
 };
-use opentelemetry_datadog::ApiVersion;
+use opentelemetry_datadog::{ApiVersion, DatadogPropagator};
 use std::env;
 
 fn get_trace_sample_rate() -> f64 {
@@ -40,8 +41,8 @@ fn get_agent_url() -> String {
   format!("http://{host}:{port}")
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn init() -> Result<opentelemetry::sdk::trace::Tracer, TraceError> {
-  opentelemetry_datadog::new_pipeline()
+pub(crate) fn init() -> Result<(), TraceError> {
+  let tracer = opentelemetry_datadog::new_pipeline()
     .with_service_name(env::var("DD_SERVICE").unwrap_or("ord-kafka".to_owned()))
     .with_api_version(ApiVersion::Version05)
     .with_agent_endpoint(get_agent_url())
@@ -59,7 +60,11 @@ pub(crate) fn init() -> Result<opentelemetry::sdk::trace::Tracer, TraceError> {
         })
         .with_id_generator(RandomIdGenerator::default()),
     )
-    .install_simple()
+    .install_simple()?;
+  global::set_text_map_propagator(DatadogPropagator::default());
+  global::set_tracer_provider(tracer.provider().unwrap());
+
+  Ok(())
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn close() {