1inch Co-Founder Exits Operations
One of the latest developments in crypto news is the departure of 1inch co-founder Anton Bukov from the decentralized finance (DeFi) project's operations after more than seven years. Bukov confirmed that he is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the company and shifted his focus to a new venture called Second Tier.
His announcement also revealed that he was actually fired in late November 2025 after pushing for changes to the company's management and operational structure.
In a statement that was published on X, Bukov said feedback from users and colleagues encouraged him to become more involved in the leadership of the organization. He explained that he spent several months improving his leadership and communication skills while trying to implement changes to strengthen the company. According to Bukov, these efforts eventually resulted in his dismissal.
Part of Bukov’s statement that was posted on X
Despite leaving the company's operations, Bukov made it clear that he is still a co-founder and owns a 50% stake in 1inch. However, he also pointed out that his ownership does not translate into any operational authority. He said he no longer has any involvement in product architecture, protocol security, or management decisions, which leaves the project's future entirely in the hands of the current leadership team.
The story quickly became a major topic in crypto news after 1inch released its own response. The company said Bukov had not been actively involved in organizations linked to the project since December 2025, which is a slightly different timeline from Bukov's account.
While the company acknowledged his absence from day-to-day operations, it did not directly argue with his claim that he was fired in November. It also did not provide any more details about the internal disagreements that led to the separation in the first place.
Co-founder Sergej Kunz also addressed the situation by reassuring the community that Bukov's departure would not affect the platform's operations. Kunz said the change will not disrupt the 1inch Network's infrastructure, systems, or ongoing product development. He added that the protocol will continue building its decentralized trading and liquidity solutions as planned.
Alongside announcing his departure, Bukov introduced his next venture, Second Tier. Although he shared very few details about the project, he said it is being built with people who share the same vision and values from the beginning.
Bukov and Kunz
Bukov and Kunz launched 1inch in May of 2019, and helped transform the project into one of the most recognized names in decentralized finance. It was initially known for its decentralized exchange aggregation service, but 1inch later expanded into cross-chain trading solutions and a wide range of DeFi infrastructure. Throughout this time, Bukov played an important role in protocol architecture and security before stepping away from operational responsibilities.
