Anton Bukov, co-founder of the decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch, was fired from the company in late November. Bukov is now building a new infrastructure startup called Second Tier, though he remains a co-founder and 50% shareholder of 1inch.
The Departure
Bukov previously led protocol architecture and security at 1inch, a platform that routes trades across multiple decentralized exchanges to find the best prices. The reasons for his firing have not been disclosed by either side. Bukov’s role as a 50% shareholder means he still holds significant financial stake in the company, but his day-to-day involvement has ended.
What Second Tier Is Building
Details about Second Tier remain scarce. Bukov has described it as an infrastructure startup, but has not yet revealed what specific products or services it will offer. Given his background in protocol architecture and security, the new venture is likely to focus on blockchain or DeFi infrastructure. No launch date or funding information has been announced.
1inch’s Path Forward
With Bukov out of operations, 1inch will need to fill the gap in protocol leadership. The company has not commented on whether it plans to hire a replacement or redistribute his responsibilities among existing team members. Bukov’s continued ownership stake could also lead to future tensions or coordination challenges between the two entities.
The firing comes at a time when the broader crypto market is under regulatory scrutiny and competition among aggregators is intensifying. How 1inch navigates this transition without its former protocol lead remains an open question.
