[BUG]: @opentelemetry/api version compatibility issue: TracerProvider produces no-op spans with versions >1.4.1

[norelina]

Tracer Version(s)

5.76.0

Node.js Version(s)

22.16

Bug Report

When using dd-trace (v5.76.0) with @opentelemetry/api versions newer than 1.4.1 (e.g., 1.9.0), the TracerProvider registration appears to succeed, but all custom spans created via the OpenTelemetry API become no-ops with trace IDs showing as all zeros (00000000000000000000000000000000).

Environment

• dd-trace version: 5.76.0
• @opentelemetry/api version: 1.9.0 (fails), 1.4.1 (works)
• Node.js version: 22.16.0
• Platform: Windows/Linux
• Runtime: Node.js with TypeScript

Expected Behavior
According to Datadog Node.js Custom Instrumentation using the OpenTelemetry API docs when registering dd-trace's TracerProvider with the OpenTelemetry API, custom spans created using trace.getTracer() should:

• Be properly instrumented and sent to Datadog
• Have valid trace IDs that correlate with dd-trace's native instrumentation
• Maintain proper parent-child relationships with auto-instrumented spans

Actual Behavior
When using @opentelemetry/api@1.9.0:

• TracerProvider registration succeeds without errors
• trace.getTracer() returns a tracer instance
• tracer.startActiveSpan() appears to work
• However, all spans are no-ops with trace IDs of 00000000000000000000000000000000
• No trace data is sent to Datadog for these custom spans
• Auto-instrumentation via dd-trace continues to work normally

Reproduction Code

Prerequisites

• Datadog agent running on default port: 8126

Set up package.json with @opentelemetry/api @1.9.0:

{
  "name": "testapp",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Test app for dd-trace with OpenTelemetry tracing",
  "main": "dist/index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsc",
    "start": "npx tsx app.ts",
    "clean": "rm -rf dist"
  },
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC",
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/express": "^5.0.5",
    "@types/node": "^24.9.2",
    "tsx": "^4.20.6",
    "typescript": "^5.9.3"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@opentelemetry/api": "1.9.0",
    "dd-trace": "^5.76.0",
    "express": "^5.1.0"
  }
}

Create instrumentation file (datadog.ts):

import tracer from 'dd-trace'

tracer.init({
  service: 'test-service',
  env: 'dev',
  version: '1.0.0',
  // Agent configuration (optional - defaults shown)
  hostname: 'localhost',
  port: 8126,
  // Log injection and runtime metrics
  logInjection: true,
  runtimeMetrics: true,
  remoteConfig: {
    pollInterval: 0  // Disables remote config polling
  }
});

const provider = new tracer.TracerProvider();
provider.register();

export default tracer;

Create application file (app.ts):

import tracer from 'dd-trace'

tracer.init({
  service: 'test-service',
  env: 'dev',
  version: '1.0.0',
  // Agent configuration (optional - defaults shown)
  hostname: 'localhost',
  port: 8126,
  // Log injection and runtime metrics
  logInjection: true,
  runtimeMetrics: true,
  remoteConfig: {
    pollInterval: 0  // Disables remote config polling
  }
});

const provider = new tracer.TracerProvider();
provider.register();

export default tracer;

Set up tsconfig.json:

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "target": "ES2022",
    "module": "commonjs",
    "lib": ["ES2022"],
    "outDir": "./dist",
    "rootDir": ".",
    "strict": true,
    "esModuleInterop": true,
    "skipLibCheck": true,
    "forceConsistentCasingInFileNames": true,
    "resolveJsonModule": true,
    "moduleResolution": "node",
    "declaration": true,
    "declarationMap": true,
    "sourceMap": true,
    "removeComments": true
  },
  "exclude": ["node_modules", "dist"]
}

Install dependencies, run and observe:

npm install
npm run start
# Make request to http://localhost:3000/test
# Check console output: The Trace ID will be all zeros. Downgrading to 1.4.1 fixes this.

Error Logs

No response

Tracer Config

No response

Operating System

No response

Bundling

Unsure