This chapter examines the operation of the Italian golden power on credit markets and underlies the dangers that excessive state intervention can present to the banking sector. The chapter first examines innovations that were introduced into European and Italian regulations to deal with the screening of foreign direct investment. Then, it focusses on the peculiarities of this banking regulation. The goal of the chapter is to illustrate that these new state interventions do not sit well with the current prudential regime for banks, which—at any rate—already provides adequate safeguards for the security of the economy.