Using the establishment of urban public resources trading centers as a quasi-natural experiment, this study investigates the impact of the market-oriented allocation of public resources on corporate patient capital, based on data from Chinese A-share non-financial listed companies between 2009 and 2020. The findings indicate that such market-oriented allocation facilitates the attraction of patient capital, driven by the mediating roles of the resources allocation effect, certification effect, and strategic orientation effect. Furthermore, this impact is more pronounced among smaller enterprises, traditional industries, and firms located in regions with higher levels of marketization. This research extends the boundaries regarding the determinants of corporate patient capital and the economic consequences of market-oriented public resources allocation. By revealing how market-oriented allocation of public resources reshapes the flow of patient capital while exerting the effects of resources allocation, certification, and strategic orientation, this paper provides crucial theoretical support and empirical evidence to unleash public resources market potential, counteract the “short-termism trap, ” and drive high-quality corporate development.