Cross-shaped　concrete-filled　steel　tubular　(CFST)　columns　are　often　subjected　to　uniaxial　or　biaxial　eccentric　loads,　but　their　performance　and　design　are　currently　unclear.　In　this　paper,　an　experimental　study　was　conducted　on　14　cross-shaped　CFST　columns　under　concentric　and　eccentric　compression.　The　main　variables　were　section　form　(unstiffened,　stiffened,　and　multi-cell　cross-sections),　loading　angle　(0°　and　45°),　load　eccentricity　(0,　0.25,　and　0.5),　and　slenderness　ratio　(30.2　and　41.2).　The　results　indicated　that　compared　with　the　unstiffened　columns,　the　bearing　capacities　of　the　cross-shaped　CFST　columns　with　stiffened　and　multi-cell　cross-sections　were　increased　by　13.8–17.2　%　and　18.6–28.6　%,　respectively.　With　the　increase　of　load　eccentricity　or　slenderness　ratio,　the　stiffness　and　bearing　capacity　of　the　columns　decreased,　and　the　decreasing　extent　in　bearing　capacity　with　increasing　slenderness　ratio　was　affected　by　the　load　eccentricity.　At　45°　loading　angle,　the　stiffened　and　multi-cell　columns　exhibited　slightly　higher　bearing　capacity　than　the　corresponding　0°　columns.　Finite　element　models　for　the　eccentrically　loaded　cross-shaped　CFST　columns　were　established,　and　the　simulated　results　were　in　good　agreement　with　the　test　results.　Based　on　the　parametric　analysis,　design　methods　for　the　stability　coefficient　and　axial　force–bending　moment　interaction　curve　of　stiffened　and　multi-cell　cross-shaped　CFST　columns　were　proposed.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd