Amid heightened geopolitical tensions and complex regulatory hurdles, Wall Street has become a more difficult listing destination for mainland Chinese companies – but some remain unwilling to abandon it.Only two mainland Chinese companies completed US debuts in the first half of the year, raising a combined US$59.5 million – a five-year low for deal volume and total proceeds, according to a June report by accounting firm EY.Official data from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, however, reveals a resilient pipeline. As of July, more than 50 mainland companies were awaiting Beijing’s approval for share sales in the US market.The persistent push raises a crucial question for global investors: why do Chinese entrepreneurs refuse to give up on New York?“A US listing is still seen as highly prestigious,” said Hong Hao, chief investment officer at Hong Kong-based Lotus Asset Management.He noted that New York remained the world’s largest capital market, offering deep liquidity and direct access to an unmatched pool of global institutional investors that regional exchanges could not easily replicate.