Anton Bukov is a software engineer and crypto founder best known as the co-founder, lead software engineer, and architect of 1inch Network, a DeFi platform focused on decentralized exchange routing and execution. He is associated with the engineering and smart contract architecture behind 1inch’s aggregation products and related protocols that aim to optimize on-chain swaps across liquidity sources. Bukov’s profile in crypto is closely tied to the rise of DEX aggregation, where routing efficiency, security, and execution quality are central to user experience.
Overview
Bukov’s work sits at the intersection of smart contract development, protocol design, and DeFi security practices. His background includes traditional software development and mobile engineering, followed by a transition into blockchain through early exposure to exchange tooling and later through hackathons and smart contract experimentation. In the 1inch ecosystem, he is primarily associated with core protocol engineering and product architecture, including components that support swap aggregation and advanced execution methods that aim to reduce slippage and improve trade outcomes for users.
History and Background
According to CryptoSlate’s directory profile, Bukov began programming at age 12 and studied in technical tracks that included Turbo Pascal and C++. He later studied cryptography at university, then worked for around five years as a C++/C#/SQL developer before spending another period in iOS development. His initial introduction to crypto came around 2014 to 2015, when he built a spatial arbitrage bot for an exchange, an experience that exposed him to early market structure constraints and operational realities.
His deeper shift into blockchain centered on smart contracts. In August 2017, he participated in a hackathon in Kazan attended by Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, an event he has described as a turning point for his interest in more complex on-chain logic. A hackathon project later launched under the name 1Address. He also spent time exploring startup ideas, including MultiToken, before a connection with Sergej Kunz helped shape the direction that would later become 1inch.
From Security Audits to 1inch
Bukov and Kunz collaborated through community and educational efforts, including live smart contract security audits associated with the CryptoManiacs channel. This focus on analyzing on-chain code and identifying edge cases aligned with broader DeFi needs as usage expanded and attack surfaces grew. Their work culminated in May 2019 in New York, where they built a DEX aggregator MVP, an early prototype that evolved into the 1inch Aggregation Protocol and helped establish the foundations for the 1inch product suite.
Core Products and Technical Focus
As an architect within 1inch Network, Bukov is commonly linked with the platform’s smart contract systems and routing logic. 1inch is best known for aggregating liquidity across decentralized exchanges and optimizing trade execution by splitting orders or selecting paths designed to improve effective pricing. The broader 1inch product set also includes components such as limit order functionality and wallet tooling, reflecting a strategy of pairing routing with user-facing and integration-focused infrastructure.
- Protocol engineering for DEX aggregation and route optimization across liquidity sources
- Smart contract architecture and maintenance for on-chain execution systems
- Security-aware development informed by experience with contract review and audits
- Support for product expansion that includes advanced execution methods and trading primitives
Previous Work and Industry Context
CryptoSlate lists Bukov’s prior roles in several crypto and software organizations, including NEAR Protocol, where he served as a senior smart contract engineer from September 2019 to June 2020, and earlier work at MultiToken and Bitclave in blockchain development and consensus research capacities. These roles reflect a mix of protocol-level work and applied engineering that preceded and overlapped with the rapid growth of DeFi in 2020 and beyond.
Within the DeFi market, 1inch is often positioned as infrastructure that serves both end users and integrators, including wallets, dApps, and trading interfaces that rely on routing and liquidity discovery. The 1inch token, 1INCH, is typically discussed in the context of governance and ecosystem incentives, while the core value proposition is tied to execution quality and integration breadth.
Risks and Considerations
As with most DeFi infrastructure, the work Bukov is associated with faces persistent risks and constraints. Smart contract systems can be exposed to vulnerabilities, and aggregator routing operates in competitive on-chain environments influenced by liquidity fragmentation, MEV dynamics, and fast-moving market conditions. Users and integrators also face operational risks from dependency on third-party liquidity sources and evolving regulatory interpretations of DeFi services in different jurisdictions. These factors make security processes, cautious upgrades, and transparency around protocol behavior important considerations for platforms in the DEX aggregation category.
