Cover image via @1fit.malaysia (Instagram)Fitness membership platform 1Fit has just announced the termination of its operations in Malaysia, citing insufficient funding as of 13 June 2025
In a video on Instagram, CEO and founder Murat Alikhanov expressed his apologies and regret.
"Today, I want to speak to you directly about something that's very difficult for me and our team. We've made the decision to shut down our operations in Malaysia," he said.
Alikhanov recalled his team's ambitious goals when launching 1Fit in the country, hoping to make fitness more accessible to everyone, not just for users, but also for local gyms and studios.
"And in many ways, we succeeded. Over the past year, our community in Malaysia completed 356,000 workouts using the 1Fit app," he said, adding that they partnered with over 600 gyms and studios in Kuala Lumpur.
He explained, however, despite multiple attempts to secure sustainable funding, they fell short, forcing the startup to shut down in the region.
"To our Malaysian community, we are deeply sorry that we could not take this further," he said, promising to close the business with integrity and care.
Image via @1fit.malaysia (Instagram)
Alikhanov encouraged members with active subscriptions to request a refund through a link in 1Fit's Instagram bio
He also assured partners, particularly local gyms and studios, that the team would reach out personally.
"As of 13 June 2025, due to insufficient funding, we will be initiating a formal liquidation process to wind down operations and settle obligations," reads the Instagram post clarifying next steps for users.
According to 1Fit, this means:
– No new bookings or purchases are available.
– If users have unused membership credits, request a refund via the link in their bio.
– All refund requests will be processed in queue order and subject to available funds, in accordance with liquidation procedures.
According to Kursiv Media, the Kazakhstan-based startup also recently exited Mexico, having previously withdrawn from Russia (2022) and the UK (2023). The app continues to operate in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan.
