If the gym or studio is already trading, short-term secured expansion capital can fund a new site, a bigger space or new equipment — secured against the equipment, the company’s shares and any property the business owns — without giving up equity. A brand-new gym with no trading history usually has to start on the owners’ own money, because there is nothing yet to show how it performs. Ascendure backs established gym, fitness and wellness operators in Bali, Lombok, Labuan Bajo and other Indonesian hotspots. Information only.
What can expansion capital pay for?
- Fit-out of a new or larger space — flooring, changing rooms, showers, ventilation, recovery and spa areas.
- Equipment — usually the biggest single cost in a gym.
- The lease — Bali landlords commonly want several years’ rent paid up front, which ties up cash before the site opens.
- Pre-opening costs — staff, marketing and the months of running costs before memberships build up.
For why the second site is the hardest step, see why operators struggle to open a second location.
What security does a gym have if it leases its premises?
More than owners often think. Equipment, receivables and other movable assets can be secured by fiduciary security (fidusia, under Law 42/1999), and the shares of the operating company can be pledged (Company Law 40/2007, Article 60). A registered mortgage (Hak Tanggungan) is only possible over land the business or its owners hold, such as the owners’ villa or a site the gym owns. See what security an operating business can offer. Not legal advice.
Is there real demand?
Wellness is one of Indonesia’s strongest growth stories. The Global Wellness Institute put Indonesia’s wellness economy at about USD 55.8 billion in 2024, the largest in Southeast Asia, and wellness travellers were around 13% of foreign arrivals that year, as reported. In Bali, gyms range from local clubs charging a few hundred thousand rupiah a month to premium Canggu clubs charging several million. Information only.
Can a foreign-owned company still open a gym in Bali?
Not as a new company, for now. Since May 2026, at the Governor’s request, the national licensing system (OSS) has blocked new PT PMA (foreign-owned company) registrations in Bali for 18 low- and medium-low-risk business codes, reported to include fitness centres (KBLI 93116) and cafés (56303). Existing licensed companies keep operating, and the Governor has called the block temporary. As reported, it applies to Bali only — not Lombok or Flores. A clean, licensed operating gym is therefore worth more than it was — but for a foreign-owned gym, a new Bali site needs a location amendment that is reportedly being refused for these codes, so check before signing a lease. See what foreigners can still open in Bali. Not legal advice.
What does Ascendure look for?
- At least a year of honest trading figures — memberships, retention, revenue per member.
- A lease with more time left to run than the facility, and a landlord who allows the works.
- A fit-out and equipment budget backed by quotes.
- Repayment from trading cash flow, not from hope.
Facilities typically start at about USD 500,000, for 6 to 36 months, with no equity taken — you keep control. See how Ascendure works.
Last reviewed October 2026. General information about the Indonesian market, not legal, tax or financial advice. Take advice from an Indonesian notary and legal counsel on any specific structure.
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