The fund - aimed at institutional and accredited investors - will primarily buy assets created by the banking group's trade finance business in transactions with its large corporate clients, the sources said.
The recent collapse of British supply chain finance company Greensill, however, has raised investor concerns on some of the risks involved and in some cases, the sector's lack of transparency.
Santander Brasil's retreat is the latest sign of tension between a corporate eagerness to re-open offices and the growing risk of contagion as Brazil's COVID-19 crisis worsens.
"There are no hospital beds left, so banks are sending workers back home," Ivone Silva, head of the bank workers' union in the Sao Paulo region said.
Germany's Allianz is also in the race after missing out on Aviva's French business, which was snapped up by mutual insurer Aema Groupe for 3.2 billion euros on Tuesday, the sources said.
Aviva, which initially requested binding offers by Feb. 26, needs more time to renegotiate a bancassurance partnership in Poland with Santander, the sources said.