Woofun AI reports that Anton Bukov, a co-founder of 1inch, has announced his complete exit from the protocol’s operational duties to establish a new venture named Second Tier. This strategic pivot follows a public dispute regarding the nature and timing of his departure from the decentralized exchange aggregator.

Conflicting narratives have emerged concerning the specific circumstances of Bukov’s exit. He asserts that he was "fired" in November 2025 after actively "push[ing] for change" within the organization’s management structure. Conversely, 1inch published a rebuttal stating that Bukov "had not been actively involved in any associated organizations" related to the project since December 2025, challenging the timeline and cause of the separation.

Structurally, Bukov retains a 50% ownership stake in the entity he co-founded in May 2019 alongside developer Sergej Kunz.

However, he clarified that he no longer participates in daily operations, nor does he hold any role in the product architecture or security oversight.

Woofun AI data shows this division separates equity rights from technical governance, a critical distinction in decentralized autonomous organizations.

Sergej Kunz, who remains in charge at the company, addressed the transition in a Thursday post. He emphasized that Bukov’s departure "is not disrupting, will not disrupt, 1inch Network’s infrastructure or systems." This assurance aims to stabilize user confidence amid the leadership vacuum.