The world's largest listed investment firm has widened its access to China's markets under the country's foreign quota system.

BlackRock, the world’s largest listed asset manager, has been awarded a further investment quota from China as the Asian country continues to try to attract more global investors into its markets.

The US-headquartered firm has won an additional Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor quota of $400 million by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. As a result, the total QFII awarded to BlackRock now stands at $1.25 billion. This allocation sits alongside the firm’s existing RMB4.1 billion ($644 million) of Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) quota, BlackRock said.

“The award is recognition by SAFE of our continued commitment to growing the BlackRock China business,” Marc Desmidt, head of strategic product management for Asia-Pacific, said.

As at 30 June this year, BlackRock oversaw a total of $4.721 trillion of assets.