diff --git a/crates/prism/src/node_types/sequencer.rs b/crates/prism/src/node_types/sequencer.rs
index 91d4439e..502995c6 100644
--- a/crates/prism/src/node_types/sequencer.rs
+++ b/crates/prism/src/node_types/sequencer.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use prism_common::{
     },
 };
 use std::{self, collections::VecDeque, sync::Arc};
-use tokio::sync::{broadcast, Mutex};
+use tokio::sync::{broadcast, RwLock};
 
 use sp1_sdk::{ProverClient, SP1ProvingKey, SP1Stdin, SP1VerifyingKey};
 
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ pub struct Sequencer {
 
     // [`pending_operations`] is a buffer for operations that have not yet been
     // posted to the DA layer.
-    pending_operations: Arc<Mutex<Vec<Operation>>>,
-    tree: Arc<Mutex<KeyDirectoryTree<Box<dyn Database>>>>,
-    prover_client: Arc<Mutex<ProverClient>>,
+    pending_operations: Arc<RwLock<Vec<Operation>>>,
+    tree: Arc<RwLock<KeyDirectoryTree<Box<dyn Database>>>>,
+    prover_client: Arc<RwLock<ProverClient>>,
 
     proving_key: SP1ProvingKey,
     verifying_key: SP1VerifyingKey,
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ impl Sequencer {
         let ws = cfg.webserver.context("Missing webserver configuration")?;
         let start_height = cfg.celestia_config.unwrap_or_default().start_height;
 
-        let tree = Arc::new(Mutex::new(KeyDirectoryTree::new(db.clone())));
+        let tree = Arc::new(RwLock::new(KeyDirectoryTree::new(db.clone())));
         let prover_client = ProverClient::new();
 
         let (pk, vk) = prover_client.setup(PRISM_ELF);
@@ -89,9 +89,9 @@ impl Sequencer {
             verifying_key: vk,
             key,
             start_height,
-            prover_client: Arc::new(Mutex::new(prover_client)),
+            prover_client: Arc::new(RwLock::new(prover_client)),
             tree,
-            pending_operations: Arc::new(Mutex::new(Vec::new())),
+            pending_operations: Arc::new(RwLock::new(Vec::new())),
         })
     }
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ impl Sequencer {
 
             // Get pending operations
             let pending_operations = {
-                let mut ops = self.pending_operations.lock().await;
+                let mut ops = self.pending_operations.write().await;
                 std::mem::take(&mut *ops)
             };
 
@@ -316,7 +316,6 @@ impl Sequencer {
 
         Ok(())
     }
-
     async fn prove_epoch(
         &self,
         height: u64,
@@ -332,8 +331,7 @@ impl Sequencer {
 
         let mut stdin = SP1Stdin::new();
         stdin.write(&batch);
-
-        let client = self.prover_client.lock().await;
+        let client = self.prover_client.read().await;
 
         info!("generating proof for epoch height {}", height);
         #[cfg(not(feature = "plonk"))]
@@ -357,17 +355,15 @@ impl Sequencer {
         epoch_json.insert_signature(&self.key);
         Ok(epoch_json)
     }
-
     pub async fn get_commitment(&self) -> Result<Digest> {
-        let tree = self.tree.lock().await;
+        let tree = self.tree.read().await;
         tree.get_commitment().context("Failed to get commitment")
     }
-
     pub async fn get_hashchain(
         &self,
         id: &String,
     ) -> Result<Result<Hashchain, NonMembershipProof>> {
-        let tree = self.tree.lock().await;
+        let tree = self.tree.read().await;
         let hashed_id = hash(id.as_bytes());
         let key_hash = KeyHash::with::<Hasher>(hashed_id);
 
@@ -376,7 +372,7 @@ impl Sequencer {
 
     /// Updates the state from an already verified pending operation.
     async fn process_operation(&self, operation: &Operation) -> Result<Proof> {
-        let mut tree = self.tree.lock().await;
+        let mut tree = self.tree.write().await;
         tree.process_operation(operation)
     }
 
@@ -387,7 +383,7 @@ impl Sequencer {
     ) -> Result<()> {
         // TODO: this is only basic validation. The validation over if an entry can be added to the hashchain or not is done in the process_operation function
         incoming_operation.validate()?;
-        let mut pending = self.pending_operations.lock().await;
+        let mut pending = self.pending_operations.write().await;
         pending.push(incoming_operation.clone());
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -504,7 +500,6 @@ mod tests {
             Sequencer::new(db.clone(), da_layer, Config::default(), signing_key.clone()).unwrap(),
         )
     }
-
     #[tokio::test]
     #[serial]
     async fn test_validate_and_queue_update() {
@@ -519,12 +514,11 @@ mod tests {
             .await
             .unwrap();
 
-        let pending_ops = sequencer.pending_operations.lock().await;
+        let pending_ops = sequencer.pending_operations.read().await;
         assert_eq!(pending_ops.len(), 1);
 
         teardown_db(sequencer.db.clone());
     }
-
     #[tokio::test]
     #[serial]
     async fn test_process_operation() {
@@ -555,7 +549,6 @@ mod tests {
 
         teardown_db(sequencer.db.clone());
     }
-
     #[tokio::test]
     #[serial]
     async fn test_execute_block() {
@@ -580,12 +573,10 @@ mod tests {
 
         teardown_db(sequencer.db.clone());
     }
-
     #[tokio::test]
     #[serial]
     async fn test_finalize_new_epoch() {
         let sequencer = create_test_sequencer().await;
-        let tree = sequencer.tree.lock().await;
 
         let signing_key_1 = create_mock_signing_key();
         let signing_key_2 = create_mock_signing_key();
@@ -601,10 +592,10 @@ mod tests {
             add_key("user1@example.com", 0, new_key, signing_key_1),
         ];
 
-        let prev_commitment = tree.get_commitment().unwrap();
+        let prev_commitment = sequencer.get_commitment().await.unwrap();
         sequencer.finalize_new_epoch(0, operations).await.unwrap();
 
-        let new_commitment = tree.get_commitment().unwrap();
+        let new_commitment = sequencer.get_commitment().await.unwrap();
         assert_ne!(prev_commitment, new_commitment);
 
         teardown_db(sequencer.db.clone());