Malaysia Forces Closure of Balaji Srinivasan’s Network School

Authorities in Malaysia have ordered the shutdown of Network School, a digital nomad community in Forest City founded by former Coinbase chief technology officer Balaji Srinivasan, after canceling its business license effective July 22.

Council Cites Licensing Violations

Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the Iskandar Puteri City Council made the call after reviewing inspection reports and enforcement findings, noting that a facility operating for a long time doesn’t mean it always met license conditions.

Immigration Checks Preceded the Move

The order follows earlier immigration inspections that found 266 foreign members had valid travel documents, after online claims alleged the site hosted Israeli nationals unlawfully. Srinivasan had called shutdown reports false, saying the school received two minor notices, one about signage wording and another about a coworking space license, both of which he said would be fixed.

Officials Push for Deeper Investigation

Johor’s government asked immigration, police and home affairs officials to keep investigating possible passport misuse or false identity claims, and called for tighter background checks on organizations operating locally.

Srinivasan started Network School in August 2024 as a live-in hub for digital nomads, charging $1,000 monthly for shared rooms or $2,000 for solo units.