AbstractEvidence is shown of the capability of non-axisymmetrical conducting structures in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) to guarantee the passive stabilization of the n = 0 MHD unstable mode. Suitable numerical modeling of the experiments allows a clear interpretation of the phenomenon. This demonstration and the availability of computational tools able to describe the effect of 3D conductors will have a huge impact on the design of future fusion devices, in which the conducting structures closest to plasma will be highly segmented.