1inch Leadership Rift: Co-Founder Bukov Claims Dismissal Amid New Venture Launch

Anton Bukov, co-founder of 1inch, has announced his complete exit from the company's operations, claiming he was "fired" in 2025 following disputes over management and operational shifts.

Governance Clash and Contradictory Narratives

Bukov's departure highlights a significant friction point within the company's leadership structure:

■Anton Bukov claims he was removed in November 2025 after pushing for organizational changes within 1inch.

■In a conflicting statement, 1inch asserted that Bukov has not been actively involved in any associated organizations since December 2025.

■While launching his new project, Second Tier, Bukov maintains a 50% ownership stake as a co-founder.

Infrastructure Stability and Security Oversight

Concerns regarding the protocol's technical continuity have been addressed by the remaining leadership:

■Co-founder Sergej Kunz stated that the departure will not disrupt the 1inch Network's core infrastructure or systems.

■Bukov explicitly clarified that he no longer holds any role in the product architecture or security oversight of the protocol.

Leadership volatility in core DeFi protocols like 1inch often precedes shifts in governance dynamics. While the technical infrastructure may remain intact, the divergence in narratives between a founder and the core team creates a "trust deficit" that quant models must factor into protocol risk assessments. The decoupling of a founder from security oversight is a critical metric for assessing long-term protocol robustness.