diff --git a/.chloggen/confmap-default-provider.yaml b/.chloggen/confmap-default-provider.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2bc9fb28e67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.chloggen/confmap-default-provider.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Use this changelog template to create an entry for release notes.
+
+# One of 'breaking', 'deprecation', 'new_component', 'enhancement', 'bug_fix'
+change_type: enhancement
+
+# The name of the component, or a single word describing the area of concern, (e.g. otlpreceiver)
+component: confmap
+
+# A brief description of the change.  Surround your text with quotes ("") if it needs to start with a backtick (`).
+note: Allow setting a default Provider on a Resolver to use when `${}` syntax is used without a scheme
+
+# One or more tracking issues or pull requests related to the change
+issues: [10182]
+
+# (Optional) One or more lines of additional information to render under the primary note.
+# These lines will be padded with 2 spaces and then inserted directly into the document.
+# Use pipe (|) for multiline entries.
+subtext:
+
+# Optional: The change log or logs in which this entry should be included.
+# e.g. '[user]' or '[user, api]'
+# Include 'user' if the change is relevant to end users.
+# Include 'api' if there is a change to a library API.
+# Default: '[user]'
+change_logs: [api]
diff --git a/confmap/expand.go b/confmap/expand.go
index 05ec5a31162..768395f76fd 100644
--- a/confmap/expand.go
+++ b/confmap/expand.go
@@ -76,21 +76,24 @@ func (mr *Resolver) expandValue(ctx context.Context, value any) (any, bool, erro
 	return value, false, nil
 }
 
-// findURI attempts to find the first expandable URI in input. It returns an expandable
+// findURI attempts to find the first potentially expandable URI in input. It returns a potentially expandable
 // URI, or an empty string if none are found.
 // Note: findURI is only called when input contains a closing bracket.
-func findURI(input string) string {
+func (mr *Resolver) findURI(input string) string {
 	closeIndex := strings.Index(input, "}")
 	remaining := input[closeIndex+1:]
 	openIndex := strings.LastIndex(input[:closeIndex+1], "${")
 
-	// if there is a missing "${" or the uri does not contain ":", check the next URI.
-	if openIndex < 0 || !strings.Contains(input[openIndex:closeIndex+1], ":") {
+	// if there is any of:
+	//  - a missing "${"
+	//  - there is no default scheme AND no scheme is detected because no `:` is found.
+	// then check the next URI.
+	if openIndex < 0 || (mr.defaultScheme == "" && !strings.Contains(input[openIndex:closeIndex+1], ":")) {
 		// if remaining does not contain "}", there are no URIs left: stop recursion.
 		if !strings.Contains(remaining, "}") {
 			return ""
 		}
-		return findURI(remaining)
+		return mr.findURI(remaining)
 	}
 
 	return input[openIndex : closeIndex+1]
@@ -98,8 +101,9 @@ func findURI(input string) string {
 
 // findAndExpandURI attempts to find and expand the first occurrence of an expandable URI in input. If an expandable URI is found it
 // returns the input with the URI expanded, true and nil. Otherwise, it returns the unchanged input, false and the expanding error.
+// This method expects input to start with ${ and end with }
 func (mr *Resolver) findAndExpandURI(ctx context.Context, input string) (any, bool, error) {
-	uri := findURI(input)
+	uri := mr.findURI(input)
 	if uri == "" {
 		// No URI found, return.
 		return input, false, nil
@@ -138,11 +142,19 @@ func toString(input any) (string, error) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (mr *Resolver) expandURI(ctx context.Context, uri string) (any, bool, error) {
-	lURI, err := newLocation(uri[2 : len(uri)-1])
+func (mr *Resolver) expandURI(ctx context.Context, input string) (any, bool, error) {
+	// strip ${ and }
+	uri := input[2 : len(input)-1]
+
+	if !strings.Contains(uri, ":") {
+		uri = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", mr.defaultScheme, uri)
+	}
+
+	lURI, err := newLocation(uri)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, false, err
 	}
+
 	if strings.Contains(lURI.opaqueValue, "$") {
 		return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("the uri %q contains unsupported characters ('$')", lURI.asString())
 	}
diff --git a/confmap/expand_test.go b/confmap/expand_test.go
index 02db3ea818d..b7bfc59483d 100644
--- a/confmap/expand_test.go
+++ b/confmap/expand_test.go
@@ -99,9 +99,10 @@ func TestResolverExpandMapAndSliceValues(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
-		name   string
-		input  string
-		output any
+		name            string
+		input           string
+		output          any
+		defaultProvider bool
 	}{
 		// Embedded.
 		{
@@ -109,11 +110,23 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 			input:  "${HOST}:${PORT}",
 			output: "${HOST}:${PORT}",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NoMatchOldStyleDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${HOST}:${PORT}",
+			output:          "localhost:3044",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "NoMatchOldStyleNoBrackets",
 			input:  "${HOST}:$PORT",
 			output: "${HOST}:$PORT",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NoMatchOldStyleNoBracketsDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${HOST}:$PORT",
+			output:          "localhost:$PORT",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "ComplexValue",
 			input:  "${env:COMPLEX_VALUE}",
@@ -139,6 +152,12 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 			input:  "${env:HOST}:${PORT}",
 			output: "localhost:${PORT}",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "EmbeddedNewAndOldStyleDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${env:HOST}:${PORT}",
+			output:          "localhost:3044",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "Int",
 			input:  "test_${env:INT}",
@@ -181,11 +200,23 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 			input:  "${test:localhost:${env:PORT}}",
 			output: "localhost:3044",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NestedDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${test:localhost:${PORT}}",
+			output:          "localhost:3044",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "EmbeddedInNested",
 			input:  "${test:${env:HOST}:${env:PORT}}",
 			output: "localhost:3044",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "EmbeddedInNestedDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${test:${HOST}:${PORT}}",
+			output:          "localhost:3044",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "EmbeddedAndNested",
 			input:  "${test:localhost:${env:PORT}}?os=${env:OS}",
@@ -202,31 +233,67 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 			input:  "env:HOST}",
 			output: "env:HOST}",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NoMatchMissingOpeningBracketDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "env:HOST}",
+			output:          "env:HOST}",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "NoMatchMissingClosingBracket",
 			input:  "${HOST",
 			output: "${HOST",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NoMatchMissingClosingBracketDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${HOST",
+			output:          "${HOST",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "NoMatchBracketsWithout$",
 			input:  "HO{ST}",
 			output: "HO{ST}",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NoMatchBracketsWithout$DefaultProvider",
+			input:           "HO{ST}",
+			output:          "HO{ST}",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "NoMatchOnlyMissingClosingBracket",
 			input:  "${env:HOST${env:PORT?os=${env:OS",
 			output: "${env:HOST${env:PORT?os=${env:OS",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NoMatchOnlyMissingClosingBracketDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${env:HOST${env:PORT?os=${env:OS",
+			output:          "${env:HOST${env:PORT?os=${env:OS",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "NoMatchOnlyMissingOpeningBracket",
 			input:  "env:HOST}env:PORT}?os=env:OS}",
 			output: "env:HOST}env:PORT}?os=env:OS}",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NoMatchOnlyMissingOpeningBracketDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "env:HOST}env:PORT}?os=env:OS}",
+			output:          "env:HOST}env:PORT}?os=env:OS}",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "NoMatchCloseBeforeOpen",
 			input:  "env:HOST}${env:PORT",
 			output: "env:HOST}${env:PORT",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "NoMatchCloseBeforeOpenDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "env:HOST}${env:PORT",
+			output:          "env:HOST}${env:PORT",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "NoMatchOldStyleNested",
 			input:  "${test:localhost:${PORT}}",
@@ -238,6 +305,12 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 			input:  "env:HOST}${env:PORT}",
 			output: "env:HOST}3044",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "PartialMatchMissingOpeningBracketFirstDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "env:HOST}${PORT}",
+			output:          "env:HOST}3044",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "PartialMatchMissingOpeningBracketLast",
 			input:  "${env:HOST}env:PORT}",
@@ -288,11 +361,23 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 			input:  "${HOST}${env:PORT}",
 			output: "${HOST}3044",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "SchemeAfterNoSchemeIsExpandedDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${HOST}${env:PORT}",
+			output:          "localhost3044",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:   "SchemeBeforeNoSchemeIsExpanded",
 			input:  "${env:HOST}${PORT}",
 			output: "localhost${PORT}",
 		},
+		{
+			name:            "SchemeBeforeNoSchemeIsExpandedDefaultProvider",
+			input:           "${env:HOST}${PORT}",
+			output:          "localhost3044",
+			defaultProvider: true,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -305,7 +390,12 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 				return NewRetrieved(uri[5:])
 			})
 
-			resolver, err := NewResolver(ResolverSettings{URIs: []string{"input:"}, ProviderFactories: []ProviderFactory{provider, newEnvProvider(), testProvider}, ConverterFactories: nil})
+			envProvider := newEnvProvider()
+			set := ResolverSettings{URIs: []string{"input:"}, ProviderFactories: []ProviderFactory{provider, envProvider, testProvider}, ConverterFactories: nil}
+			if tt.defaultProvider {
+				set.DefaultScheme = "env"
+			}
+			resolver, err := NewResolver(set)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
 			cfgMap, err := resolver.Resolve(context.Background())
@@ -317,6 +407,11 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValues(t *testing.T) {
 
 func newEnvProvider() ProviderFactory {
 	return newFakeProvider("env", func(_ context.Context, uri string, _ WatcherFunc) (*Retrieved, error) {
+		// When using `env` as the default scheme for tests, the uri will not include `env:`.
+		// Instead of duplicating the switch cases, the scheme is added instead.
+		if uri[0:4] != "env:" {
+			uri = "env:" + uri
+		}
 		switch uri {
 		case "env:COMPLEX_VALUE":
 			return NewRetrieved([]any{"localhost:3042"})
@@ -469,3 +564,16 @@ func TestResolverExpandStringValueInvalidReturnValue(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err = resolver.Resolve(context.Background())
 	assert.EqualError(t, err, `expanding ${test:PORT}: expected convertable to string value type, got ['ӛ']([]interface {})`)
 }
+
+func TestResolverDefaultProviderExpand(t *testing.T) {
+	provider := newFakeProvider("input", func(context.Context, string, WatcherFunc) (*Retrieved, error) {
+		return NewRetrieved(map[string]any{"foo": "${HOST}"})
+	})
+
+	resolver, err := NewResolver(ResolverSettings{URIs: []string{"input:"}, ProviderFactories: []ProviderFactory{provider, newEnvProvider()}, DefaultScheme: "env", ConverterFactories: nil})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	cfgMap, err := resolver.Resolve(context.Background())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, map[string]any{"foo": "localhost"}, cfgMap.ToStringMap())
+}
diff --git a/confmap/resolver.go b/confmap/resolver.go
index 304dc3f71c3..7c9ed303c73 100644
--- a/confmap/resolver.go
+++ b/confmap/resolver.go
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@ var driverLetterRegexp = regexp.MustCompile("^[A-z]:")
 
 // Resolver resolves a configuration as a Conf.
 type Resolver struct {
-	uris       []location
-	providers  map[string]Provider
-	converters []Converter
+	uris          []location
+	providers     map[string]Provider
+	defaultScheme string
+	converters    []Converter
 
 	closers []CloseFunc
 	watcher chan error
@@ -34,11 +35,16 @@ type ResolverSettings struct {
 	// It is required to have at least one location.
 	URIs []string
 
-	// ProviderFactories is a list of Provider creation functions.
-	// It is required to have at least one ProviderFactory
-	// if a Provider is not given.
+	// ProviderFactories is a slice of Provider factories.
+	// It is required to have at least one factory.
 	ProviderFactories []ProviderFactory
 
+	// DefaultScheme is the scheme that is used if ${} syntax is used but no schema is provided.
+	// If no DefaultScheme is set, ${} with no schema will not be expanded.
+	// It is strongly recommended to set "env" as the default scheme to align with the
+	// OpenTelemetry Configuration Specification
+	DefaultScheme string
+
 	// ProviderSettings contains settings that will be passed to Provider
 	// factories when instantiating Providers.
 	ProviderSettings ProviderSettings
@@ -93,6 +99,13 @@ func NewResolver(set ResolverSettings) (*Resolver, error) {
 		providers[provider.Scheme()] = provider
 	}
 
+	if set.DefaultScheme != "" {
+		_, ok := providers[set.DefaultScheme]
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, errors.New("invalid 'confmap.ResolverSettings' configuration: DefaultScheme not found in providers list")
+		}
+	}
+
 	converters := make([]Converter, len(set.ConverterFactories))
 	for i, factory := range set.ConverterFactories {
 		converters[i] = factory.Create(set.ConverterSettings)
@@ -119,10 +132,11 @@ func NewResolver(set ResolverSettings) (*Resolver, error) {
 	}
 
 	return &Resolver{
-		uris:       uris,
-		providers:  providers,
-		converters: converters,
-		watcher:    make(chan error, 1),
+		uris:          uris,
+		providers:     providers,
+		defaultScheme: set.DefaultScheme,
+		converters:    converters,
+		watcher:       make(chan error, 1),
 	}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/confmap/resolver_test.go b/confmap/resolver_test.go
index 3a162c85247..fecb973d089 100644
--- a/confmap/resolver_test.go
+++ b/confmap/resolver_test.go
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ func TestResolverErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		locations         []string
 		providers         []Provider
 		converters        []Converter
+		defaultScheme     string
 		expectBuildErr    bool
 		expectResolveErr  bool
 		expectWatchErr    bool
@@ -136,6 +137,16 @@ func TestResolverErrors(t *testing.T) {
 			providers:      []Provider{&mockProvider{}},
 			expectBuildErr: true,
 		},
+		{
+			name:      "default scheme not found",
+			locations: []string{"mock:", "err:"},
+			providers: []Provider{
+				&mockProvider{},
+				&mockProvider{scheme: "err", errR: errors.New("retrieve_err")},
+			},
+			defaultScheme:  "missing",
+			expectBuildErr: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:      "retrieve location config error",
 			locations: []string{"mock:", "err:"},
@@ -201,7 +212,7 @@ func TestResolverErrors(t *testing.T) {
 				c := converter
 				converterFuncs[i] = NewConverterFactory(func(_ ConverterSettings) Converter { return c })
 			}
-			resolver, err := NewResolver(ResolverSettings{URIs: tt.locations, ProviderFactories: mockProviderFuncs, ConverterFactories: converterFuncs})
+			resolver, err := NewResolver(ResolverSettings{URIs: tt.locations, ProviderFactories: mockProviderFuncs, DefaultScheme: tt.defaultScheme, ConverterFactories: converterFuncs})
 			if tt.expectBuildErr {
 				assert.Error(t, err)
 				return
@@ -395,3 +406,18 @@ func TestProvidesDefaultLogger(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, provider.logger)
 }
+
+func TestResolverDefaultProviderSet(t *testing.T) {
+	envProvider := newEnvProvider()
+	fileProvider := newFileProvider(t)
+
+	r, err := NewResolver(ResolverSettings{
+		URIs:              []string{"env:"},
+		ProviderFactories: []ProviderFactory{fileProvider, envProvider},
+		DefaultScheme:     "env",
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.NotNil(t, r.defaultScheme)
+	_, ok := r.providers["env"]
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+}