diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 5d9e163ad..c938df0ce 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@
 
 6. Enhanced tests for OpenMP support, detecting incompatibilities such as R-bundled runtime _vs._ newer Xcode and testing for a manually installed runtime from <https://mac.r-project.org/openmp>, [#6622](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/6622). Thanks to @dvg-p4 for initial report and testing, @twitched for the pointers, @tdhock and @aitap for the fix.
 
+7. `integer64` type from {bit64} now has `INTEGER64` and `INTEGER64_RO` accessors in `src/data.table.h` to avoid direct casts and inconsistency issues, providing a standardized accessor to improve readability, [#7618](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7618). Thanks @MichaelChirico and @ben-schwen for the report, @aksh08022006 and @aitap for assistance, and @brycepanza, @cjl525, @ProjectsByFerm, and @lacyhamilton for the fix.
+
 ## data.table [v1.18.2.1](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/milestone/44?closed=1)  (22 January 2026)
 
 ### BUG FIXES
diff --git a/src/data.table.h b/src/data.table.h
index c561b1732..471aa22c6 100644
--- a/src/data.table.h
+++ b/src/data.table.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 #endif
 #include <Rinternals.h>
 #define SEXPPTR_RO(x) ((const SEXP *)DATAPTR_RO(x))  // to avoid overhead of looped STRING_ELT and VECTOR_ELT
+#define INTEGER64(x) ((int64_t *)REAL(x))
+#define INTEGER64_RO(x) ((const int64_t *)REAL_RO(x))
 #include <stdint.h>    // for uint64_t rather than unsigned long long
 #include <stdarg.h>    // for va_list, va_start
 #include <stdbool.h>