diff --git a/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span.h b/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span.h
index 87b64747cf..77de4050d4 100644
--- a/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span.h
+++ b/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span.h
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 #include "opentelemetry/common/attribute_value.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/common/key_value_iterable_view.h"
-#include "opentelemetry/common/timestamp.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/nostd/shared_ptr.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/nostd/span.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/nostd/string_view.h"
@@ -15,72 +14,14 @@
 #include "opentelemetry/nostd/unique_ptr.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/trace/canonical_code.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/trace/span_context.h"
+#include "opentelemetry/trace/span_metadata.h"
+
 #include "opentelemetry/version.h"
 
 OPENTELEMETRY_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 namespace trace
 {
 
-// The key identifies the active span in the current context.
-constexpr char kSpanKey[] = "active_span";
-
-enum class SpanKind
-{
-  kInternal,
-  kServer,
-  kClient,
-  kProducer,
-  kConsumer,
-};
-
-// StatusCode - Represents the canonical set of status codes of a finished Span.
-
-enum class StatusCode
-{
-  kUnset,  // default status
-  kOk,     // Operation has completed successfully.
-  kError   // The operation contains an error
-};
-
-/**
- * StartSpanOptions provides options to set properties of a Span at the time of
- * its creation
- */
-struct StartSpanOptions
-{
-  // Optionally sets the start time of a Span.
-  //
-  // If the start time of a Span is set, timestamps from both the system clock
-  // and steady clock must be provided.
-  //
-  // Timestamps from the steady clock can be used to most accurately measure a
-  // Span's duration, while timestamps from the system clock can be used to most
-  // accurately place a Span's
-  // time point relative to other Spans collected across a distributed system.
-  common::SystemTimestamp start_system_time;
-  common::SteadyTimestamp start_steady_time;
-
-  // Explicitly set the parent of a Span.
-  //
-  // This defaults to an invalid span context. In this case, the Span is
-  // automatically parented to the currently active span.
-  SpanContext parent = SpanContext::GetInvalid();
-
-  // TODO:
-  // SpanContext remote_parent;
-  // Links
-  SpanKind kind = SpanKind::kInternal;
-};
-/**
- * StartEndOptions provides options to set properties of a Span when it is
- * ended.
- */
-struct EndSpanOptions
-{
-  // Optionally sets the end time of a Span.
-  common::SteadyTimestamp end_steady_time;
-};
-
 class Tracer;
 
 /**
@@ -176,7 +117,7 @@ class Span
    * @param options can be used to manually define span properties like the end
    * timestamp
    */
-  virtual void End(const EndSpanOptions &options = {}) noexcept = 0;
+  virtual void End(const trace::EndSpanOptions &options = {}) noexcept = 0;
 
   virtual trace::SpanContext GetContext() const noexcept = 0;
 
diff --git a/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span_metadata.h b/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span_metadata.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..977329a151
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span_metadata.h
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+// Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "opentelemetry/common/timestamp.h"
+
+OPENTELEMETRY_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
+namespace trace
+{
+
+enum class SpanKind
+{
+  kInternal,
+  kServer,
+  kClient,
+  kProducer,
+  kConsumer,
+};
+
+// The key identifies the active span in the current context.
+constexpr char kSpanKey[] = "active_span";
+
+// StatusCode - Represents the canonical set of status codes of a finished Span.
+enum class StatusCode
+{
+  kUnset,  // default status
+  kOk,     // Operation has completed successfully.
+  kError   // The operation contains an error
+};
+
+/**
+ * EndSpanOptions provides options to set properties of a Span when it is
+ * ended.
+ */
+struct EndSpanOptions
+{
+  // Optionally sets the end time of a Span.
+  common::SteadyTimestamp end_steady_time;
+};
+
+}  // namespace trace
+OPENTELEMETRY_END_NAMESPACE
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span_startoptions.h b/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span_startoptions.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..688b768bd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/span_startoptions.h
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "opentelemetry/context/context.h"
+#include "opentelemetry/trace/span_context.h"
+#include "opentelemetry/trace/span_metadata.h"
+
+OPENTELEMETRY_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
+namespace trace
+{
+
+/**
+ * StartSpanOptions provides options to set properties of a Span at the time of
+ * its creation
+ */
+struct StartSpanOptions
+{
+  // Optionally sets the start time of a Span.
+  //
+  // If the start time of a Span is set, timestamps from both the system clock
+  // and steady clock must be provided.
+  //
+  // Timestamps from the steady clock can be used to most accurately measure a
+  // Span's duration, while timestamps from the system clock can be used to most
+  // accurately place a Span's
+  // time point relative to other Spans collected across a distributed system.
+  common::SystemTimestamp start_system_time;
+  common::SteadyTimestamp start_steady_time;
+
+  // Explicitly set the parent of a Span.
+  //
+  // This defaults to an invalid span context. In this case, the Span is
+  // automatically parented to the currently active span.
+  nostd::variant<SpanContext, opentelemetry::context::Context> parent = SpanContext::GetInvalid();
+
+  // TODO:
+  // SpanContext remote_parent;
+  // Links
+  SpanKind kind = SpanKind::kInternal;
+};
+
+}  // namespace trace
+OPENTELEMETRY_END_NAMESPACE
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/tracer.h b/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/tracer.h
index 425e085116..b60336a48d 100644
--- a/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/tracer.h
+++ b/api/include/opentelemetry/trace/tracer.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include "opentelemetry/context/context.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/nostd/shared_ptr.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/nostd/string_view.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/nostd/unique_ptr.h"
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "opentelemetry/trace/scope.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/trace/span.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/trace/span_context_kv_iterable_view.h"
+#include "opentelemetry/trace/span_startoptions.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/version.h"
 
 #include <chrono>
@@ -17,7 +19,6 @@
 OPENTELEMETRY_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 namespace trace
 {
-
 /**
  * Handles span creation and in-process context propagation.
  *
diff --git a/exporters/etw/include/opentelemetry/exporters/etw/etw_tracer.h b/exporters/etw/include/opentelemetry/exporters/etw/etw_tracer.h
index 2806bfa593..47e6fa79c4 100644
--- a/exporters/etw/include/opentelemetry/exporters/etw/etw_tracer.h
+++ b/exporters/etw/include/opentelemetry/exporters/etw/etw_tracer.h
@@ -569,8 +569,15 @@ class Tracer : public trace::Tracer
     // Parent Context:
     // - either use current span
     // - or attach to parent SpanContext specified in options
-    const auto parentContext =
-        (options.parent.IsValid()) ? options.parent : GetCurrentSpan()->GetContext();
+    trace::SpanContext parentContext = GetCurrentSpan()->GetContext();
+    if (nostd::holds_alternative<trace::SpanContext>(options.parent))
+    {
+      auto span_context = nostd::get<trace::SpanContext>(options.parent);
+      if (span_context.IsValid())
+      {
+        parentContext = span_context;
+      }
+    }
 
     // Populate Etw.RelatedActivityId at envelope level if enabled
     GUID RelatedActivityId;
@@ -1089,8 +1096,9 @@ class TracerProvider : public trace::TracerProvider
     // identifier, see EventActivityIdControl.
     GetOption(options, "enableActivityId", config_.enableActivityId, false);
 
-    // Map parent `SpanId` to RelatedActivityId -  Activity identifier from the previous component.
-    // Use this parameter to link your component's events to the previous component's events.
+    // Map parent `SpanId` to RelatedActivityId -  Activity identifier from the previous
+    // component. Use this parameter to link your component's events to the previous component's
+    // events.
     GetOption(options, "enableRelatedActivityId", config_.enableRelatedActivityId, false);
 
     // When a new Span is started, the current span automatically becomes its parent.
diff --git a/exporters/otlp/test/otlp_http_exporter_test.cc b/exporters/otlp/test/otlp_http_exporter_test.cc
index 2dfd32ce05..daab046439 100644
--- a/exporters/otlp/test/otlp_http_exporter_test.cc
+++ b/exporters/otlp/test/otlp_http_exporter_test.cc
@@ -222,7 +222,9 @@ TEST_F(OtlpHttpExporterTestPeer, ExportJsonIntegrationTest)
     child_span->End();
     parent_span->End();
 
-    child_span_opts.parent.trace_id().ToLowerBase16(MakeSpan(trace_id_hex));
+    nostd::get<opentelemetry::trace::SpanContext>(child_span_opts.parent)
+        .trace_id()
+        .ToLowerBase16(MakeSpan(trace_id_hex));
     report_trace_id.assign(trace_id_hex, sizeof(trace_id_hex));
   }
 
@@ -282,7 +284,9 @@ TEST_F(OtlpHttpExporterTestPeer, ExportBinaryIntegrationTest)
     child_span->End();
     parent_span->End();
 
-    child_span_opts.parent.trace_id().CopyBytesTo(MakeSpan(trace_id_binary));
+    nostd::get<opentelemetry::trace::SpanContext>(child_span_opts.parent)
+        .trace_id()
+        .CopyBytesTo(MakeSpan(trace_id_binary));
     report_trace_id.assign(reinterpret_cast<char *>(trace_id_binary), sizeof(trace_id_binary));
   }
 
diff --git a/sdk/src/trace/tracer.cc b/sdk/src/trace/tracer.cc
index 977722d0ca..be5e5f7d96 100644
--- a/sdk/src/trace/tracer.cc
+++ b/sdk/src/trace/tracer.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "opentelemetry/context/runtime_context.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/nostd/shared_ptr.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/sdk/common/atomic_shared_ptr.h"
+#include "opentelemetry/trace/context.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/version.h"
 #include "src/trace/span.h"
 
@@ -27,8 +28,25 @@ nostd::shared_ptr<trace_api::Span> Tracer::StartSpan(
     const trace_api::SpanContextKeyValueIterable &links,
     const trace_api::StartSpanOptions &options) noexcept
 {
-  trace_api::SpanContext parent_context =
-      options.parent.IsValid() ? options.parent : GetCurrentSpan()->GetContext();
+  trace_api::SpanContext parent_context = GetCurrentSpan()->GetContext();
+  if (nostd::holds_alternative<trace_api::SpanContext>(options.parent))
+  {
+    auto span_context = nostd::get<trace_api::SpanContext>(options.parent);
+    if (span_context.IsValid())
+    {
+      parent_context = span_context;
+    }
+  }
+  else if (nostd::holds_alternative<context::Context>(options.parent))
+  {
+    auto context = nostd::get<context::Context>(options.parent);
+    // fetch span context from parent span stored in the context
+    auto span_context = opentelemetry::trace::GetSpan(context)->GetContext();
+    if (span_context.IsValid())
+    {
+      parent_context = span_context;
+    }
+  }
 
   trace_api::TraceId trace_id;
   trace_api::SpanId span_id = GetIdGenerator().GenerateSpanId();
diff --git a/sdk/test/trace/tracer_test.cc b/sdk/test/trace/tracer_test.cc
index 92659a8a5a..94e57a4cd7 100644
--- a/sdk/test/trace/tracer_test.cc
+++ b/sdk/test/trace/tracer_test.cc
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "opentelemetry/sdk/trace/samplers/parent.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/sdk/trace/simple_processor.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/sdk/trace/span_data.h"
+#include "opentelemetry/trace/context.h"
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
@@ -621,6 +622,44 @@ TEST(Tracer, ExpectParent)
   EXPECT_EQ(spandata_second->GetSpanId(), spandata_third->GetParentSpanId());
 }
 
+TEST(Tracer, ExpectParentAsContext)
+{
+  std::unique_ptr<InMemorySpanExporter> exporter(new InMemorySpanExporter());
+  std::shared_ptr<InMemorySpanData> span_data = exporter->GetData();
+  auto tracer                                 = initTracer(std::move(exporter));
+  auto spans                                  = span_data.get()->GetSpans();
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(0, spans.size());
+
+  auto span_first = tracer->StartSpan("span 1");
+
+  opentelemetry::context::Context c1;
+  auto c2 = trace_api::SetSpan(c1, span_first);
+  trace_api::StartSpanOptions options;
+  options.parent   = c2;
+  auto span_second = tracer->StartSpan("span 2", options);
+
+  auto c3         = trace_api::SetSpan(c2, span_second);
+  options.parent  = c3;
+  auto span_third = tracer->StartSpan("span 3", options);
+
+  span_third->End();
+  span_second->End();
+  span_first->End();
+
+  spans = span_data->GetSpans();
+  ASSERT_EQ(3, spans.size());
+  auto spandata_first  = std::move(spans.at(2));
+  auto spandata_second = std::move(spans.at(1));
+  auto spandata_third  = std::move(spans.at(0));
+  EXPECT_EQ("span 1", spandata_first->GetName());
+  EXPECT_EQ("span 2", spandata_second->GetName());
+  EXPECT_EQ("span 3", spandata_third->GetName());
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(spandata_first->GetSpanId(), spandata_second->GetParentSpanId());
+  EXPECT_EQ(spandata_second->GetSpanId(), spandata_third->GetParentSpanId());
+}
+
 TEST(Tracer, ValidTraceIdToSampler)
 {
   std::unique_ptr<InMemorySpanExporter> exporter(new InMemorySpanExporter());