1inch (1INCH) Plunge

Onchain data reveals that large, vested 1INCH holders distributed approximately 36.36 million tokens (worth ~$5 million) during a sharp sell-off on January 27, contributing to a 15–17% intraday price decline. The tokens, representing about 2.6% of circulating supply and 8% of daily volume, were sold via CoW Protocol in tranches to manage slippage. Historical data indicates the sellers were likely early investors or team members. The sales occurred amid thin liquidity, amplifying downward pressure without a new token unlock. Trading volume surged 370%, and the volume-to-market-cap ratio exceeded 36%, signaling significant liquidity stress.

1inch Team Accused of Dumping Tokens, But On-Chain Data Reveals Complex Trading Patterns Three wallets labeled as "1inch Team" sold 36.36 million 1INCH tokens (worth $5.04 million), causing the token’s price to drop 16.7% to $0.1155. The tokens were initially acquired in late November 2024 at around $0.42 each, meaning the sale resulted in an estimated loss of over $10 million for that batch. However, this selling behavior contradicts the team’s historical trading strategy. Earlier in the year, the 1inch investment fund demonstrated sophisticated market timing—accumulating 1INCH at lows near $0.20, buying more during a July rally that pushed prices to $0.206, and later taking partial profits at around $0.33. Similar strategies were applied to ETH and WBTC, yielding significant gains through disciplined entry and exit points. 1inch officially denied involvement, stating that the wallets in question were not controlled by the team, foundation, or treasury, and that the selling was likely from a third-party holder. The incident highlights the risks of misinterpreting on-chain labels and the impact of large sell-offs in low-liquidity markets. Despite the denial, the event further pressured 1INCH, which has declined significantly from its all-time high of $6.

Recent on-chain data from ARKHAM indicated that three wallets labeled as "1inch Team" sold 36.36 million 1INCH tokens, worth $5.04 million, causing the token's price to drop by 16.7% to around $0.1155. The tokens were initially acquired in late 2024 at approximately $0.42 each, meaning the sale resulted in a loss of over $10 million for the seller. This event sparked criticism and raised questions about whether the 1inch team was intentionally dumping tokens. However, the team’s historical trading behavior shows a pattern of strategic accumulation during market lows and gradual profit-taking during highs—not large-scale selling at a loss. For instance, earlier in the year, the team accumulated 1INCH at around $0.20 and sold portions at higher prices, realizing significant profits on 1INCH, ETH, and BTC positions. 1inch officially denied involvement, clarifying that the wallets in question were not controlled by the team or its multisig treasury and that the sell-off was likely executed by a third-party holder. The team emphasized that it does not influence independent token holders' decisions. Despite the clarification, the sell-off exacerbated the token’s already weak market performance. 1INCH has been in a prolonged downtrend since its all-time high of $6, now trading near $0.11. The incident highlights how on-chain labels can be misleading and how low liquidity magnifies the impact of large sales—often harming retail investors the most.

Decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch has confirmed that co-founder Anton Bukov is no longer involved with the project. Bukov stated he was fired in late November 2025 and announced a new DeFi venture, Second Tier. While he remains a co-founder and shareholder, he has no operational or security role at 1inch. The company confirmed his lack of active involvement since December 2025 but stressed that operations, protocols, and development roadmap remain unaffected under co-founder Sergej Kunz and the existing team. The departure follows several unrelated security incidents in 2024 and 2025, but 1inch maintains its core systems and user funds were not impacted.

Anton Bukov, co-founder of the decentralized exchange aggregator protocol 1inch, has announced his departure from the company's daily operations. Bukov, who was instrumental in designing core 1inch architectures like the Router, Fusion, and cross-chain Swap, ceased involvement in November 2025 due to strategic and leadership disagreements, though he retains his co-founder title and 50% equity stake. Concurrently, Bukov unveiled his new venture, Second Tier (tier.xyz), describing it as infrastructure to "shorten the distance between economic intent and on-chain execution." He explicitly stated it is not a DEX or aggregator. The project's public-facing material is currently a manifesto criticizing systemic financial friction and advocating for building new architectural categories rather than competing within existing ones. No product details, team, or funding have been disclosed. The split highlights a strategic divergence within 1inch. While CEO Sergej Kunz has steered the company toward traditional finance integration—evidenced by a 2025 brand refresh and a major Coinbase partnership—Bukov emphasized a commitment to decentralized, permissionless DeFi principles. Bukov's exit coincides with a challenging period for 1inch. Q1 2026 data shows a 60.3% quarterly drop in its daily average trading volume to $97.1 million, underperforming the broader DEX aggregator market decline. Its market share fell from 25.2% to 17.0%, dropping it to fourth place among competitors. Key questions remain regarding Bukov's future role as a major 1inch shareholder, the timeline for Second Tier's product development, and whether 1inch's institutional-focused strategy can reverse its declining trading metrics.