Co-founder of 1inch reveals termination, unveils fresh project

Co-founder of 1inch reveals termination, unveils fresh project

Following his termination from 1inch in 2025, Anton Bukov disclosed he has stepped away from all operational duties after advocating for structural modifications to the company's leadership and business practices.

Following a tenure spanning more than seven years, Anton Bukov, who co-founded 1inch, revealed that he is stepping away entirely from his operational involvement with the organization.

Through a post shared on X this Thursday, Bukov disclosed his exit from 1inch to establish a fresh initiative named Second Tier. While he stated he would continue to hold the title of co-founder and maintain 50% ownership of the enterprise, conflicting narratives emerged from both 1inch and Bukov concerning his participation over the past year.

Bukov claims he was terminated from his position at 1inch during November 2025 following his efforts to "push for change" within the organization's leadership structure and operational framework. In response, 1inch issued its own statement via X, asserting that the co-founder "had not been actively involved in any associated organizations" connected to the project from December 2025 onward.

"I no longer take part in the company's operations," said Bukov. "And, most importantly, I have no role in its product architecture or its security, and no oversight of either."

The establishment of 1inch occurred in May 2019 when Bukov partnered with developer Sergej Kunz, who continues to lead the company's operations. Through a Thursday post on X, Kunz stated that Bukov's exit "is not disrupting, will not disrupt, 1inch Network's infrastructure or systems."