Intesa Sanpaolo: Almost a Billion Dollars in SpaceX. Seriously.

Well, it certainly seems so. The Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo held approximately $966 million worth of SpaceX shares in its portfolio at the end of June. It's a mind-boggling figure, especially because it's the first time it has been publicly disclosed with such precision.

This data emerged from a regulatory filing, one of those heaps of paperwork companies are obliged to complete for financial authorities. They're usually full of numbers and tables, but every now and then they reveal gems like this. Intesa Sanpaolo reported this stake in SpaceX at the end of June 2026, according to an official document filed with the authorities.

It's not like Intesa Sanpaolo is planning to launch satellites or send customers to Mars. Rather, it shows how attractive the private market, for companies not listed on stock exchanges, has become even for major investors. SpaceX, Elon Musk's brainchild, is one of these rare beasts, with staggering valuations.

Investing in companies like SpaceX means betting on the future, but also having a keen nose for business. It's a bit like buying a lottery ticket, but with much better odds of winning, and significantly larger prizes. It's not for everyone, let's say, but banks are perfectly at home in this game.

For us, who at most invest in a savings account or a mortgage, not much changes. Bread won't cost less, and we won't be going into orbit with loyalty points. However, it's an interesting signal that big money is increasingly moving towards 'futuristic' sectors, far from traditional stock exchanges.

Intesa Sanpaolo invested this money in SpaceX for the first time in such a transparent way, demonstrating confidence in the private space sector. It makes us realize that the world of finance isn't just banks and mortgages, but also rockets and satellites. And that someone out there is making a lot of money with the stars.