1inch Co-Founder Anton Bukov Exits Following Management Dispute

Bukov, who retains his status as a co-founder and 50% shareholder, stated that his push for structural reform led to his dismissal. He explicitly confirmed he holds no further oversight regarding product architecture or the security of the protocol. In response, 1inch issued a statement on X asserting that Bukov had ceased active involvement with the organization in December 2025. Co-founder Sergej Kunz moved to reassure the community, maintaining that the split has no impact on the network’s infrastructure or ongoing liquidity services.

While the internal rift remains largely opaque, Bukov has already shifted his focus to a new venture, Second Tier. He described the project as a collaboration with colleagues who share his professional values, though specific details regarding the platform’s funding or technical roadmap remain undisclosed. The transition marks a definitive end to the working relationship between Bukov and Kunz, who co-founded 1inch in May 2019. Despite the leadership shakeup, 1inch continues to push forward with its DeFi expansion, including recent partnerships aimed at simplifying cross-chain trading, even as the firm navigates broader security challenges within the decentralized sector.