The estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen remains one of the largest and most complex philanthropic endeavors in modern history. As of December 2025, the monumental task of liquidating his estimated $20 billion fortune continues under the meticulous oversight of his sister, Jody Allen, the sole executor and trustee. The core mandate is clear: sell virtually all assets—from NBA teams to record-breaking art—and dedicate the proceeds to a vast network of charitable interests, cementing Allen’s legacy as a technology visionary and a global philanthropist. The ongoing disposition of this sprawling portfolio, which spans professional sports franchises, world-class art, luxury real estate, and cutting-edge scientific institutes, has generated billions in recent years, funding a new era of research in areas Allen cared deeply about, including bioscience, artificial intelligence, and climate change. The latest updates center on the formal sale of his NBA team and the massive new charitable fund established in his name, marking the final chapters of this unprecedented process.

The Legacy of Paul G. Allen: A Biographical Profile

Paul Gardner Allen (1953–2018) was an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist best known for co-founding Microsoft alongside Bill Gates in 1975. His life was defined by a polymathic curiosity that spanned technology, science, sports, and exploration.

• Born: January 21, 1953, in Seattle, Washington.
• Died: October 15, 2018, in Seattle, Washington (due to non-Hodgkin lymphoma).
• Education: Attended Washington State University, but dropped out to work as a programmer.
• Co-Founding Role: Co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with childhood friend Bill Gates.
• Net Worth at Death: Estimated at over $20 billion.
• Sister and Executor: Jody Allen, who serves as the sole trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust.
• Major Sports Ownership: Owner of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers.
• Major Philanthropic Focus: Brain science, artificial intelligence, cellular science, climate change, and ocean health.

The $20 Billion Liquidation: Where Paul Allen's Mega-Assets Have Gone (or Are Going)

The estate’s liquidation strategy has been a masterclass in asset management, systematically converting high-value, illiquid assets into capital for the charitable trust. This process has involved complex negotiations and record-breaking sales across multiple sectors.

The Art World's Record-Shattering Sale

One of the most significant transactions to date was the sale of Allen's private art collection. In a historic auction event, the collection—which included masterpieces by artists like Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Gustav Klimt—shattered all previous records.

The collection, sold at Christie's, brought in a staggering total of more than $1.5 billion. The sale was a key moment in the estate's plan, with all proceeds pledged directly to charity, fulfilling Allen’s philanthropic wishes. The sheer value of the collection underscored Allen's status as a top-tier global collector and provided a massive infusion of capital into his charitable foundations.

The Sports Empire: Blazers and Seahawks

Allen's ownership of professional sports teams was a defining characteristic of his post-Microsoft career. According to the terms of the trust, both franchises must eventually be sold to benefit his charitable interests.

• Portland Trail Blazers (NBA): In a major, recent update, the estate formally commenced the sales process and has reached an agreement to sell the Portland Trail Blazers to a group of investors led by Tom Dundon, the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes. This complex transaction is expected to finalize and continue into 2025–2026, marking the end of Allen's connection to the team he purchased in 1988.
• Seattle Seahawks (NFL): While the Blazers sale is in progress, the future of the Seattle Seahawks remains a prominent topic of discussion. The team is also held in the trust overseen by Jody Allen. Although a formal sales process has not been announced as of late 2025, the liquidation mandate suggests the Seahawks will eventually follow the Trail Blazers to a new owner, with proceeds similarly channeled to philanthropy.

Global Real Estate and Superyachts

Allen maintained a vast, global portfolio of luxury properties and high-tech vessels. The estate has been systematically shedding these assets to maximize charitable returns.

One of the most notable sales was the Mercer Island Compound in Washington. This sprawling property, which included six homes and two plots of land, was sold for a reported $67 million. The compound was legendary, featuring a floating helicopter pad, multiple guest houses, and an 8,000-square-foot indoor basketball court. In California, a 3.2-acre hilltop compound in the Beverly Hills Post Office area was sold for $45 million. Furthermore, the estate is actively marketing the massive 120-acre parcel in Beverly Hills known as "Enchanted Hill," which has returned to the market with a staggering nine-figure asking price.

The iconic 414-foot megayacht, M/Y *Octopus*, a vessel known for its two submarines and a helicopter, was also sold by the estate. The Lurssen-built superyacht, which Allen used for scientific exploration, was purchased by Swedish billionaire Roger Samuelsson for a reported €235 million.

The Enduring Mission: Paul Allen's $3.1 Billion Philanthropic Future

The ultimate purpose of the estate’s liquidation is to fuel the philanthropic vision Allen established during his lifetime. This mission is primarily carried out through the Allen Institute and a massive new fund dedicated to frontier research.

A major development in the past year was the launch of the Paul Allen Fund for Science and Technology, a monumental new initiative backed by $3.1 billion in capital from the estate. This fund is specifically designed to support bold, high-risk, high-reward research in bioscience, artificial intelligence (AI), and climate change.

The Allen Institute, which encompasses several distinct research entities, remains the primary beneficiary and engine of Allen’s scientific legacy:

• Allen Institute for Brain Science: Focused on mapping the complexity of the human brain, this institute continues to receive substantial funding, including recent Allen Discovery Center open calls for research in neurobiology.
• Allen Institute for AI (AI2): A leading non-profit research and development institute dedicated to AI, it continues to push the boundaries of machine learning and natural language processing.
• Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group: This group manages various funding mechanisms, including the Allen Distinguished Investigator (ADI) awards, which recently awarded $9 million to six projects in December 2024, focusing on innovative bioscience research like organelle communication.
• Living Computers Museum (LCM): The estate recently sold the remaining historical artifacts and systems from the museum, with all proceeds directed to charity, further consolidating the focus on core scientific research.

The sheer scale of the estate's philanthropic commitment—with billions already raised and billions more earmarked—establishes it as one of the most impactful charitable transfers of wealth in the 21st century, ensuring Paul Allen's influence on science and technology will continue for decades to come.