diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c7b67981c61..7f186ae5a23 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ release.
 
 ### Traces
 
+- Deprecate Zipkin exporter document and make exporter implementation optional.
+  ([#4715](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/4715/))
+
 ### Metrics
 
 ### Logs
diff --git a/spec-compliance-matrix.md b/spec-compliance-matrix.md
index 60e47a8c4c5..5c7431693bd 100644
--- a/spec-compliance-matrix.md
+++ b/spec-compliance-matrix.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ status of the feature is not known.
 
 For the `Optional` column, `X` means the feature is optional, blank means the
 feature is required, and columns marked with `*` mean that for each type of
-exporter (OTLP and Zipkin), implementing at least one of the supported
+exporter (e.g. OTLP), implementing at least one of the supported
 formats is required. Implementing more than one format is optional.
 
 ## Traces
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ Disclaimer: Declarative configuration is currently in Development status - work
 | **[Zipkin](specification/trace/sdk_exporters/zipkin.md)** | Optional | Go | Java | JS | Python | Ruby | Erlang | PHP | Rust | C++ | .NET | Swift |
 | Zipkin V1 JSON | X | - | + |  | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 | Zipkin V1 Thrift | X | - | + |  | [-][py1174] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
-| Zipkin V2 JSON | * | + | + |  | + | + | - | + | + | + | + | + |
-| Zipkin V2 Protobuf | * | - | + |  | + | - | + | - | - | - | - | - |
+| Zipkin V2 JSON | X | + | + |  | + | + | - | + | + | + | + | + |
+| Zipkin V2 Protobuf | X | - | + |  | + | - | + | - | - | - | - | - |
 | Service name mapping |  | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
 | SpanKind mapping |  | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
 | InstrumentationLibrary mapping |  | + | + | - | + | + | - | + | + | + | + | + |
diff --git a/spec-compliance-matrix/template.yaml b/spec-compliance-matrix/template.yaml
index d3eb46a334b..82078059256 100644
--- a/spec-compliance-matrix/template.yaml
+++ b/spec-compliance-matrix/template.yaml
@@ -375,9 +375,9 @@ sections:
           - name: Zipkin V1 Thrift
             optional: true
           - name: Zipkin V2 JSON
-            optional_one_of_group_is_required: true
+            optional: true
           - name: Zipkin V2 Protobuf
-            optional_one_of_group_is_required: true
+            optional: true
           - name: Service name mapping
           - name: SpanKind mapping
           - name: InstrumentationLibrary mapping
diff --git a/specification/configuration/sdk-environment-variables.md b/specification/configuration/sdk-environment-variables.md
index f271bc9ea29..aff527f5913 100644
--- a/specification/configuration/sdk-environment-variables.md
+++ b/specification/configuration/sdk-environment-variables.md
@@ -270,6 +270,8 @@ See [OpenTelemetry Protocol Exporter Configuration Options](../protocol/exporter
 
 ## Zipkin Exporter
 
+**Status**: [Deprecated](../document-status.md)
+
 | Name                          | Description                                                                        | Default                              | Type        |
 |-------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|-------------|
 | OTEL_EXPORTER_ZIPKIN_ENDPOINT | Endpoint for Zipkin traces                                                         | `http://localhost:9411/api/v2/spans` | [String][]  |
diff --git a/specification/trace/sdk_exporters/zipkin.md b/specification/trace/sdk_exporters/zipkin.md
index 9a902619cc5..32b39d5da0b 100644
--- a/specification/trace/sdk_exporters/zipkin.md
+++ b/specification/trace/sdk_exporters/zipkin.md
@@ -4,7 +4,20 @@ linkTitle: Zipkin
 
 # OpenTelemetry to Zipkin Transformation
 
-**Status**: [Stable](../../document-status.md)
+**Status**: [Deprecated](../../document-status.md)
+
+Zipkin exporter support will be removed from OpenTelemetry specification in December
+2026.
+
+> Note: This document remains here for backwards compatibility and
+> will be removed in a future version. Existing stable Zipkin exporters MUST
+> continue to be supported for at least one year after the artifact is deprecated,
+> following the [SDK stability guarantees](/specification/versioning-and-stability.md#sdk-support).
+> Implementing a Zipkin exporter is not required for new SDKs.
+>
+> Users may use [Zipkin exporter](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/tree/main/exporter/zipkinexporter)
+> collector component or [zipkin-otel](https://github.com/openzipkin-contrib/zipkin-otel)
+> Zipkin server module.
 
 This document defines the transformation between OpenTelemetry and Zipkin Spans.
 The generic transformation [rules specified here](../../common/mapping-to-non-otlp.md) also apply. If a
@@ -69,7 +82,7 @@ not work properly. OpenTelemetry doesn't provide this consistency guarantee.
 Exporter may chose to override the value for service name based on a local root
 span to improve Zipkin user experience.
 
-*Note*, the attribute `service.namespace` MUST NOT be used for the Zipkin
+Note that the attribute `service.namespace` MUST NOT be used for the Zipkin
 service name and should be sent as a Zipkin tag.
 
 ### SpanKind