1Fit Malaysia’s Sudden Closure Shocked Members & Staff
1Fit allegedly went through a similar exit situation in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates and many former members claimed they have yet to receive refunds.
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The gym app 1Fit was popular because it allows members to try out many different workout classes in different gyms and studios at an affordable price. You might have seen its relentless advertisements popping up in your social media feeds a few weeks before.
However, 1Fit suddenly pulled the plug on 13 June 2025 because the company is allegedly low on funds and will be initiating a formal liquidation process to wind down its operations.
The news shocked many members because some recently signed up or renewed their membership and were not informed of the pending closure.
Its founder and CEO Murat Alikhanov made a public video explaining that they first started 1Fit because they wanted to make workouts accessible to everyone. He said they allegedly tried to make the business sustainable and explored all options to no avail. He also said the company will begin to issue refunds.
Shining a torch on the business model
While this sounds like a clear cut solution by the company, the situation on the ground is murkier. Affected members in Malaysia claimed the app was inaccessible and they couldn’t cancel their memberships.
A user pointed out that it was unethical for the company to push their advertisements and push for membership renewal when they’re allegedly aware of its pending closure.
The company closure also affected its employees. Sabrina Azham, a Business Development Manager at 1Fit, wrote on LinkedIn that she was still trying to process losing her job without notice.
When asked if she was scammed, she said it was complicated because salaries were paid on time and merchants paid up until May so it didn’t feel like a scam.
She reiterated that the company shutting down overnight without care for its people and members showed poor leadership and unethical behaviour.
Some members have began digging into the company’s background and found several uneasy details.
1Fit apparently went through a similar situation in Mexico around April to May, and in the United Arab Emirates. Former members in Mexico claimed the company shutdown overnight, ignored their messages and many claim they never received refunds.
1Fit started in Malaysia in February 2024.
A LinkedIn user Tan Aik Keong got 1FitApp Sdn Bhd’s SSM information and found that the company was incorporated in November 2023 and its two directors from Kazakhstan were only appointed on 12 June 2025, a few days before everything went offline.
Members signed up with 1Fit here due to its attractive prices. A 1Fit membership pass can cost around RM2,500 for unlimited classes for 12 months. In hindsight, the longterm commitment required should have rang alarm bells (but we can all learn from this). Once again, we learn that when something is too good to be true, it truly is.
If 1Fit is compared to ClassPass, the latter uses credit system that should last members about four to five classes per month. ClassPass members do not have to commit longterm.
1Fit first started in Kazakhstan in 2018 with the promise that one membership subscription lets members access any gyms with unlimited workouts. The attractive offering helped the company quickly expand to Mexico, Dubai, and Malaysia.
However, the bad business model soon caught up with the company. Entrepreneur Timothy Tiah shared that similar business models have been tried and tested, and some failed. He gave Movie Pass in the United States as an example of this.
He also pointed out how ClassPass eventually switched to a credit system when offering unlimited classes was not beneficial.
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