Mubasher: Barclays PLC CEO Jes Staley is said to maintain his post at the UK-based lender after British regulators found that his attempts to "unmask a whistleblower" did not represent a "lack of integrity".

However, regulators decided to impose a hefty fine that could reach up to seven figures, on the bank's top executive.

In 2017, Staley reported attempted to uncover the identity of a whistleblower who had criticised a hire the CEO had made.

"The move prompted a yearlong probe and fears the chief executive could be deemed unfit to run a bank," according to MarketWatch.

However, on Friday, Barclays said UK regulators had concluded that Staley did not act "with a lack of integrity or that he lacks fitness and propriety to continue to perform his role."

As for the fine and the outcome of the probe, the London-based bank said it could not comment as its CEO was entitled to challenge the fine. It did, however, say that its board continues to endorse Jes Staley.

"The decision to back Mr. Staley ends a year of instability for the US executive and draws a line under a major unknown that has weighed on Barclays as it looks to finish a multiyear restructuring," MarketWatch said.

It added that after the completion of the probe, Staley would be able to refocus his efforts on running the bank, which is at a crossroads as to whether its investment banking unit could generate strong profits or not and "allay some investors' long-held concerns that it needs to be dramatically shrunk."