- 1inch co-founder has announced his exit from the project.
- Bukov said he was fired from the team last year.
- He’s now starting another DeFi project called Second Tier.
Co-founder of 1inch, Anton Bukov, has left the project after six years and is starting a new venture.
In a post on Thursday, Bukov said he was fired from the 1inch team in late November 2025, though he keeps his co-founder title and a 50% ownership stake.
The DEX aggregator confirmed the exit on X, saying, “Anton Bukov is no longer contributing to the 1inch project and has not been actively involved in any associated organizations since December 2025.”
We can confirm that Anton Bukov is no longer contributing to the 1inch project and has not been actively involved in any associated organizations since December 2025.
— 1inch (@1inch) July 16, 2026
This does not affect the operation of 1inch Network or any associated organizations. The protocols,…
Bukov leaves 1inch after 6 years
Bukov co-founded 1inch in May 2019, leading the protocol’s architecture, security, and economic design.
Not much was revealed about why the split happened. However, Bukov seems to have pushed for a leadership reform.
In his post, Bukov mentioned that he had received feedback from both teammates and users that made him want to contribute to the management and operational side of the company.
“I spent months learning how leadership and communication should be built, and pushed for change,” Bukov said. “In late November 2025 I was fired.”
1inch co-founder Sergej Kunz also posted on X to confirm the exit, “change is not disrupting, and will not disrupt, 1inch Network’s infrastructure or systems,” and also its strategic decision-making remains largely unchanged.
The company will continue to operate under Kunz and the existing executive leadership team, 1inch said.
Bukov moves to start a new project
In the same post, Bukov announced he’s starting a new DeFi project called Second Tier.
“I believe DeFi is the way to an open financial system, one with no friction and no middlemen,” Bukov said. “I’d rather build that than wait around for it.”
Bukov didn’t reveal exactly what Second Tier offers. However, he said it will close the distance between economic intent and its execution, and he’s building it with the “people who share the same values from day one.”
At the time of writing, the 1INCH token was down 1.6% on the 24hr timeframe, trading at a market price of $0.07394.
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FAQs
What happened to Anton Bukov at 1inch?
1inch confirmed that Bukov is no longer contributing to the project and has not been involved in any associated organizations since December 2025. Bukov says he was fired in late November 2025.
Does Anton Bukov still own part of 1inch?
Yes. According to a report from Incrypted, Bukov retains his co-founder status and 50% of the company's shares, even though he has been removed from all operational activities including product architecture and protocol security.
Will Bukov's departure affect the 1inch protocol?
Co-founder Sergej Kunz said the change "is not disrupting, and will not disrupt, 1inch Network's infrastructure or systems," and the company said its protocols continue to operate normally.
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Ibiam Wayas
Ibiam Wayas has covered the crypto news beat since 2019. He studied Computer Science at National Open University of Nigeria. His work has appeared on various crypto news platforms, including Coinfomania, Crypto News Australia, and AltcoinBuzz. Drawing on his background in Computer Science, he now focuses on crypto, robotics, and longevity news.
