Anton Bukov, co-founder of the popular decentralized aggregator 1inch, has confirmed his definitive departure from the company's day-to-day operations after being sidelined at the end of 2025. Although he retains a 50% stake in the company, Bukov will focus his efforts on developing an independent initiative called Second Tier.
The origin of the break in the 1-inch dome
The management structure of one of the best-known decentralized aggregators in the crypto ecosystem has undergone significant changes. Anton Bukov has publicly revealed that he was stepping down from his duties in November 2025, after having pushed to implement changes in the company's management and internal operations.
For its part, the company has issued statements indicating that the co-founder has not been actively involved in any organization associated with the project since December 2025. Bukov has corroborated this, emphasizing that he no longer has any role in the product's architecture, security, or oversight, marking a complete operational separation after more than seven years of involvement.
Impact on infrastructure and the future of the protocol
Despite Bukov's departure, the technical development of 1inch continues under the leadership of Sergej Kunz, with whom he co-founded the project in May 2019. Kunz has assured the community that this leadership transition will not disrupt or affect the network's infrastructure or systems, sending a message of stability to users of the protocol.
For those who regularly interact with decentralized finance platforms, understanding How does a DEX work? And its aggregators are fundamental to evaluating the robustness of these protocols in the face of corporate changes. 1inch's architecture continues to operate normally, maintaining its focus on optimizing exchange routes through audited smart contracts.
Second Tier: the next step in the crypto ecosystem
Far from moving away from the technology sector, Bukov has announced that he will channel his experience towards the creation of Second Tier, a proposal whose deep technical details are still unknown, but which marks his return to active development within the Web3 environment.
A relevant piece of information for decision-makers buy 1INCH And following the evolution of its governance is that, despite his operational disengagement, Bukov retains 50% ownership of the original company. This stake presents a unique scenario where an operationally inactive player maintains significant influence in the ownership structure, something that could impact future strategic decisions at the corporate level.
FAQ
What motivated Anton Bukov's departure from 1inch?
According to Bukov himself, his departure came after he attempted to implement several changes in the company's management and operations. These differences of vision with the rest of the management team culminated in his removal from operational duties at the end of 2025.
Does this situation affect the safety of 1inch users?
The current team, led by co-founder Sergej Kunz, has confirmed that the network's infrastructure and systems will not be disrupted. Bukov no longer has access to or oversight of the product's architecture, so the protocol continues to operate under its usual standards.
What is Second Tier?
Second Tier is the new technology initiative announced by Anton Bukov after his departure from 1inch. Although it is still in an early stage and not all of its features have been revealed, it represents the developer's next step within the decentralized ecosystem.
The evolution of decentralized projects often involves restructuring their founding teams as they mature. The case of 1inch reflects how protocols seek to stabilize their governance and operations in the long term, even if this means the departure of key figures from their original creation.
As the crypto ecosystem continues to mature under clearer regulatory frameworks like MiCA in Europe, transparency in these types of corporate transitions is essential. The market will be closely watching both the continued performance of the 1inch network and the future technological developments that emerge from Bukov's new phase with Second Tier.
Investing in crypto assets is not regulated, may not be suitable for retail investors, and the entire amount invested may be lost.
Investing in cryptoassets is not fully regulated, may not be suitable for retail investors due to high volatility and there is a risk of losing all invested amounts.
