BlackRock is preparing to sell euro-denominated bonds for the first time, joining a wave of US firms that have already taken advantage of rock-bottom borrowing costs in the region, thanks to the European Central Bank’s massive quantitative easing programme.

The New York-based fund manager, which has close to $5 trillion in assets under management, met with investors in several European cities last week, and started marketing the new bonds in early European trade on Tuesday, according to bankers involved in the transaction.